


Drifting Starlight

by Pandora151



Series: The Journey of the Lights [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Heavy Angst, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Illness, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Sickfic, Sickness, TPM Qui-Gon travels to the Clone Wars, Time Travel Fix-It, Whump, lots of lineage feels, obi-wan gets a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2018-12-09 22:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 60,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11678049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora151/pseuds/Pandora151
Summary: Just before the fateful Battle of Naboo, Qui-Gon Jinn is brought to the future, to the Clone Wars.  He doesn't know why or how, but he knows one thing for sure: He never, in a million years, expected the galaxy to end up like this.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, so this is actually happening! I am extremely nervous and excited. This is my first official multi-chapter fic and it's the first time that I'll be posting something that I'm still working on. Just a few things you should know before you start reading:
> 
> 1\. The first two lines of dialogue come directly from the Phantom Menace, right before the assault on Theed Palace begins.  
> 2\. This is taking place towards the end of the Ryloth arc from Season 1 of the Clone Wars. It immediately goes into AU territory after that.  
> 3\. This story makes references to one of my others, Reemerging Daylight, but it's not required to read that to understand this one.
> 
> Enjoy!

The battle was about to begin.  The Force was heavy with the anticipation, but Qui-Gon turned his focus on the moment at hand, knowing that he had to take back the Queen’s Palace.  He could feel the Queen’s people, almost vibrating with apprehension.  There was little time left.  Qui-Gon kneeled to face Anakin.  “Once we get inside, you’ll find a safe place to hide and stay there,” he said.

The boy nodded.  “Sure,” he answered, but there was hesitance in his voice, almost an uncertainty.

Qui-Gon held up a finger, making sure that Anakin would listen.  “Stay there,” he repeated.  The boy nodded a few more times in reassurance.  Qui-Gon moved to stand up, but as soon as he straightened to his full height, everything changed.  The living Force seemed to shift and flip inside-out in a matter of mere seconds.  One moment, Qui-Gon was standing next to his padawan and Ani, ready to help the Queen of Naboo take her palace back from the Trade Federation.  The next moment, he was somewhere else.

He looked around.  Before, he was surrounded by the Queen’s forces and Obi-Wan and Anakin, but now he stood alone, on a different planet.  “What?” he asked, looking around his surroundings.  He couldn’t tell exactly where he was.  The sky was a pale yellow color.  He was surrounding by rock formations and mountains, and he could feel the dust in the air.  This was not Naboo. 

He scanned through his planetary knowledge, trying to remember if he’s been to this system before.  He then reached into the Force, hoping that it would tell him.  He sensed many Twi’leks, far, far away.  _Ryloth_.

He reached into his Force bond with Obi-Wan, trying to see if he can at least sense if his padawan was near the area or somewhere else.  But the moment he reached for the bond, he realized that the bond was…dead.  It was mangled and completely, utterly, destroyed.  He couldn’t sense Obi-Wan at all.  A bond could only go into that state through death.  Was Obi-Wan…?  _No_.  “What?” he repeated, voice quieter.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and studied his surroundings more closely.  He saw the remains of several machines and droids, and in the distance, he could feel several life forms a few miles away.  A lot of the life forms, though, were the same life form, but _different_.  They were definitely human, but it was as though it was the same person, just multiple times.  Amongst that, however, was something a bit more familiar to him.  A Jedi.  He sighed in relief and turned towards the life forms.  He had a lot of walking to do.

* * *

He walked about a mile or so when he saw two men in the distance.  “Excuse me!” he called to them.  They turned around and stared at him, stunned.

As he came closer, Qui-Gon realized they both wore Mandalorian armor, faces covered by helmets.  One man had a hand print painted on the chest piece of his armor, but besides that, the armor was identical.  He thought back briefly to the year he spent on Mandalore with Obi-Wan, the sheer number of times he had to duel Mandalorian bounty hunters.  Were these men bounty hunters too?

“I’m afraid this may be a bit of a strange question,” Qui-Gon began, nearly out of breath.  “I’m a bit lost; could you tell me where I am?”

“Are you a civilian?” one of them asked.  His voice was distinctly Mandalorian, but he seemed friendly enough.

“No, I was…well, somewhere else, and I don’t know how I ended up here,” Qui-Gon admitted.

“Fives, look!” the other man said.  Qui-Gon’s eyebrows raised in surprise when he realized that both men had the _same exact voice_.  The man who just spoke was gesturing at his lightsaber, sitting innocently at his belt.

“Are you a Jedi?” the man called Fives asked.

Qui-Gon briefly considered lying, but figured that maybe this was the way to find the other Jedi on this planet.  “Yes,” he answered.  “I’m Qui-Gon Jinn,” he answered.

“I’m Echo, and this is Fives, sir.  We’ll take you to the general,” the other man said.  Both men removed their helmets, and Qui-Gon barely suppressed the urge to widen his eyes.  They were _identical_ , except for a tattoo on Fives’ temple, fittingly of the number “5”.  “Our base is about two miles from here,” Echo continued.

“The general?” Qui-Gon asked.  Did he somehow end up in a war zone?  He couldn’t exactly think of any major conflicts going on in the galaxy, so this surprised him.

Fives looked around, scanning carefully.  “We should head back, Echo; it looks all clear on this side,” he said.  Echo nodded in agreement and put his helmet back on.  Once Fives had his helmet back on too, Qui-Gon followed them back, feeling more confused than before.

* * *

Anakin sighed and scrubbed at his face.  Ever since Obi-Wan left for Coruscant, it seemed that getting supplies for the civilians of Nabat felt more impossible.  Obi-Wan was the one who was good at dealing with people, anyways.  Anakin would rather be flying or working on his starfighter right now.  Obi-Wan pretty much freed all of the Twi’lek villagers before Anakin arrived, but there were still a few droids scattered around the outskirts of the city.

It was hard to focus on the mission at hand when Obi-Wan was…

“General!”

Anakin sighed and turned around to see Fives and Echo walking towards him.  They saluted at him quickly before briefing him.

“We found a man who claimed to be a Jedi, sir, but neither of us have seen him before,” Fives explained, as they both moved sideways and a tall man walked closer to him.

The man had long, brown-grey hair and kind blue eyes.  His hair was in slight disarray, but as Anakin looked at him carefully, his eyes widened.  “Master _Qui-Gon_?” he asked, voice cracking.  He remembered sitting at his funeral pyre almost twelve years ago, it was _impossible_ for him to be here.  He remembered sitting next to Obi-Wan for _hours_ , watching the Jedi Master’s body turn into ash.

Qui-Gon looked at him carefully.  “Do I know you?  You appear to be a Jedi, but I’m afraid we must not have met…” He trailed off as he looked at Anakin carefully.  “Wait…Ani?  Anakin?”

Anakin nodded slowly.  “This doesn’t make sense,” he said.  “You shouldn’t be here, Master,” Anakin said.

“I was just with you, Anakin; you were a little boy.  What happened?  Where’s Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon asked.

For the millionth time, Anakin wished Obi-Wan was here, but instead he took a deep breath and began to explain, even though he had no idea what just happened.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qui-Gon returns to the Temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you to everyone who read the prologue and left kudos or comments or subscribed :) It means a lot to me.
> 
> Enjoy!

It’s been well over ten years now, but to Anakin, Master Qui-Gon still cut a regal, larger-than-life figure.  Master Qui-Gon, even now, still towered over him, which was relatively surprising.  He couldn’t exactly remember how tall the Jedi Master was from all those years ago, but seeing him now, _alive_ , brought all the memories rushing back, of being nine and afraid yet full of wonder.

There was no clear explanation as to _how_ Master Qui-Gon was here; Anakin watched as his body _burned_ on the funeral pyre 12 years ago, but now?  Somehow, he was _here_ , in the middle of the Clone Wars, and confused about why the galaxy felt so _dark_.  He claimed that the last thing he remembered was seeing the beginnings of the Battle of Naboo, but nothing after he arrived at Theed Palace with Obi-Wan, the Queen and her forces.  His presence now, 12 years later, makes no _sense_.

The door to the bridge slid open and Ahsoka walked in.  “Ahsoka!” Anakin called, waving her over.  His padawan walked over to him, eyes bright.  “This is Master Qui-Gon,” he introduced.

Ahsoka smiled eagerly at her great-grandmaster, and Anakin could feel her excitement in the Force.  “I’ve heard a lot about you, Master,” she said finally.

“Good things, I hope,” Master Qui-Gon answered with an amused chuckle.  “She is your padawan, Ani?” he asked, looking directly at him.

“Yeah, we’ve been together for a few months now,” he answered. 

“Once we get back to the Temple, I’d like to spar with you both,” the Jedi Master said then with a gentle smile.  “And Obi-Wan, of course,” he added.

“We’d be honored, Master,” Ahsoka said, smiling wider.

Obi-Wan should have arrived at Coruscant by now, completely unaware that Master Qui-Gon was… _here_ , somehow.  Anakin itched to contact him, to warn him before they arrived, but once Master Yoda verified Qui-Gon’s identity through a secure comm channel, he specifically told Anakin that no other Jedi was to know about Qui-Gon’s presence until he was brought before the Council.  Anakin agreed, despite his reservations.  This was a…delicate matter, and if word got out about this, there would be chaos.

According to Master Qui-Gon, the training bond he shared with Obi-Wan was utterly mangled, destroyed beyond recognition.  Even if he wanted to reach out to Obi-Wan with the Force, he couldn’t.  Master Qui-Gon seemed stunned by this sudden change, but realized that all of his Force bonds were simply… _gone_.

“General, we’re approaching Coruscant in ten minutes,” Rex informed him from behind him.  Anakin nodded at him in thanks then turned back to Master Qui-Gon.

“I know I’ve said this before, Master, but things have changed in the past twelve years,” Anakin reminded him, letting an undercurrent of warning seep into his voice.

“I’m aware, Anakin,” Master Qui-Gon sighed.  “I don’t completely understand _everything_ , how and why the Jedi are so actively participating in a war like this, but…I am sure there is a reason for all this.  The Council has a lot of explaining to do,” he declared.

Anakin nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable.  He felt that something was going to happen very soon, and he couldn’t tell if it would be for the better or for the worse. 

* * *

“This is so strange,” Master Qui-Gon said for probably the tenth time.

Anakin stood with him outside of Council Chambers, waiting for the Council to call them in.  The slight feeling he had earlier on the ship has grown to full-blown nerves, and he suppressed the urge to bite at his fingernails like he used to when he was a teenager.  Force, this _was_ weird, but he didn’t know what else to do.

Qui-Gon continued talking.  “It was only yesterday when I was standing out here while the Council was testing you, and now we’re here again and it’s somehow twelve years later,” he mused.  Before he could go on a padawan emerged from the great doors and told them they could come in.

Anakin entered first and was surprised to see that the Council Chambers to be empty save for Master Windu and Master Yoda.  The Korun’s eyes widened upon seeing Qui-Gon enter behind him.  “It _is_ true,” he whispered.  “You’re here, Qui-Gon.”

“Somehow,” Master Qui-Gon answered, then glanced around the empty room.  “I thought I was to meet with the full Council?” he inquired, eyebrow raised.  The gesture reminded him of Obi-Wan, which made him smirk.  Some things, apparently, were passed down from Master to Padawan.

“Wanted to see you first, we did,” Yoda commented, eyes studying him.  “To confirm your identity, hmm,”

“It is me, Master Yoda,” Master Qui-Gon said. 

“Yes, your Force presence is definitely telling us that,” Master Windu said.  “It _is_ good to see you, my friend.”

“And you, Mace,” Master Qui-Gon rumbled in response.  Master Windu smiled only slightly before turning towards Anakin.

“Skywalker, call Obi-Wan,” Master Windu said now, looking directly at him.  “Tell him to meet us here immediately.”

Anakin nodded, feeling his stomach knot into a bundle of nerves.  He pulled out his commlink and typed a quick text message to Obi-Wan, not trusting himself to speak now.  He got a response seconds later.  “He’s on the way,” he announced, voice trembling.  _Why was he so nervous?_

He barely listened as the Jedi Masters continued to talk lightly for the next few minutes about the Order’s current state of affairs until the padawan who let them in walked back to them.  “Master Kenobi is outside,” she announced.

Master Windu nodded and straightened.  He glanced at Yoda, who nodded back.  “Qui-Gon, we’d like you to wait while we explain this to Obi-Wan.  This may be a delicate situation on our hands.  We had to pull him from the front lines two days ago due to Force exhaustion,” he said finally.

Master Qui-Gon nodded slowly.  “I understand,” he answered simply (no, you _don’t_ , Anakin wanted to argue, but he remained silent) before moving outside of the circle and into the shadows.  Anakin could no longer see him, despite knowing he was _right there_. 

The Council Chambers opened again and Obi-Wan walked in, standing next to Anakin.

“Masters,” he greeted.  “Are you sending us on a mission?” he asked. 

“Not quite, Obi-Wan; you’re still on medical leave,” Master Windu answered.  Obi-Wan shifted slightly now, eyes slightly narrowed.

“Then why did you call me?” he asked now.  Anakin could feel Master Qui-Gon in the Force now, his surprise at seeing Obi-Wan looking so… _different_.  Anakin thought back to the Padawan he first met when he was leaving Tatooine.  The difference between that Obi-Wan and the one he knew now was almost startling.

“From within the Force, someone has returned,” Master Yoda said after a long pause.

Obi-Wan frowned.  “What do you mean by that?” he asked quietly.  The lights were dim, but Anakin could see the lines of exhaustion on his friend’s face, and he knew this was…a difficult topic.  After what happened on Ryloth, he didn’t know how Obi-Wan would handle something like this.  He had a feeling this wouldn’t end well.

“We don’t completely understand this, Obi-Wan, but we wanted to let you know about this before the Council gathered,” Mace explained now.  He turned towards the shadows, where Qui-Gon stood and nodded.

Qui-Gon Jinn walked out of the shadows and into the circle of chairs, standing a few feet in front of Obi-Wan.  Obi-Wan blinked a few times, looked at Master Yoda and then back to Master Qui-Gon.  He was pale now, jaw clenched tightly, and Anakin remembered that Master Che only just let him out of the Healer’s Ward a few hours earlier.

Silence.

Anakin fidgeted slightly then spoke.  “Obi-Wan?” he asked finally.  It seemed as though everyone else in the room was waiting for Obi-Wan to say something, but Obi-Wan seemed…stunned to silence, which was a rarity in itself.

“ _Force_ ,” his former master whispered, pressing a hand on the side of his skull.  He breathed deeply, eyes closed for a second before he opened them again.  “I’m not hallucinating,” he murmured.

“You’re not,” Master Qui-Gon said _finally_ , eyes slightly furrowed into a frown, “Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan blinked slowly, face white. Obi-Wan shuddered and covered his eyes with both palms.  “Someone, explain this to me, _please_ ,” he said finally, voice muffled.

Silence echoed in the Council Chambers for about thirty seconds.  Qui-Gon and Anakin glanced at each other uncomfortably, both slightly uncertain of what to say.

“We were on Ryloth,” Anakin said finally, voice quiet.  “Fives and Echo found him while scouting out the area and brought him to us when they realized he was a Jedi,” he continued while Obi-Wan exhaled and looked up at him. 

Obi-Wan nodded slowly and then turned to Qui-Gon.  “What about you?” he asked softly.

Qui-Gon frowned, and Anakin felt a sudden flash of confusion from him in the Force.  “I was on Naboo with…you and Anakin, Obi-Wan,” he answered quietly.  “We were just about to take back the Queen’s Palace from the Trade Federation, but then I found myself somewhere else, and in a different time, apparently,” he said. 

“Time travel is impossible,” Obi-Wan murmured.  “That’s what we have always been taught.”

“We don’t have record of it, but maybe if the Force wills it…” Qui-Gon trailed off.

Obi-Wan laughed, but the sound of it was empty.  Hollow.  “Of course you would always follow the will of the Force,” he said after a moment.

“Come, the rest of the Council will, in fifteen minutes,” Master Yoda said.  “Anything else have you to say?” he asked to Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon.  When no one answered, he told them to wait outside in a separate room until they were called back in.

Obi-Wan sat down immediately against the wall by the door, wrapping his arms loosely around his knees and staring at the floor.  Anakin, on the other hand, paced in front of the door, his fingers tangled in his robes, seemingly a nervous habit that Obi-Wan couldn’t break him out of, Qui-Gon mused.  Qui-Gon studied them briefly before walking to a window and staring out at the endless lines of Coruscant’s traffic.

“I have questions, but I think that can wait until after we meet with the Council,” Qui-Gon murmured softly.  The galaxy, in some ways, _appeared_ the same as it always did to him, teeming with life, infinitesimally beautiful yet harsh and depriving.  But it was different.  War has cast a shadow that seemed near impossible to gaze through, let alone understand.

“That’s fine,” Anakin answered.  Obi-Wan remained stubbornly silent, though his frown deepened slightly.  Anakin seemed to notice the slight reaction and turned to face him.  “Are you alright, Master?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan answered, though he looked anything but.  Qui-Gon itched to ignore what the Council wanted and bring him back to his quarters and let him sleep.  It looked like he hadn’t slept properly in _years_ ; his face was near-white with dark circles around his eyes.  Qui-Gon sighed.

Anakin turned to him now, having heard his sigh.  “They might be telling you some things you won’t like to hear,” he said. 

“I figured as much,” Qui-Gon answered, voice level.  “I can sense that a lot has happened in the last twelve years, and most of it was not good,” he continued, looking at Anakin.

Obi-Wan’s commlink beeped.  He looked down at it and pulled himself to his feet, quickly dusting off his robes.  “They’re ready for us,” he said without looking at either of them, opening the door that led to the Council Chambers.  Anakin and Qui-Gon followed him inside.

* * *

“This is impossible!” Saesee Tiin exclaimed when Qui-Gon walked in, Anakin and Obi-Wan in tow.

Qui-Gon looked around at the Council.  Not all of the Council members were at the Temple, it seemed.  The chair between Ki-Adi-Mundi and Saesee Tiin was empty and Shaak Ti, Kit Fisto, and Adi Gallia appeared by hologram.  He briefly wondered about the empty chair, but decided that whoever it was might have been too busy to attend a last-minute meeting.

He turned towards the Iktotchi Jedi Master, eyebrow raised.  “Examine my Force presence, if you must, Masters,” he said.  “I was on Naboo with my padawan and Anakin.  We were about to take back the Queen’s palace, and then I was on Ryloth, of all places,” he explained.

“Time travel?” Ki-Adi-Mundi mused, frowning slightly.

“If you left your own time, Master Jinn,” Shaak Ti said, “then that must have had some repercussions for our present time.  Yet it seems that nothing has changed here.”

“We wouldn’t know if anything changed,” Anakin argued.

Master Windu held up a hand.  “We’re not here to discuss the implications of time travel.  It will be prudent for at least some of us to do some research into the matter, just to see if it actually has been done before,” he commanded.  “What we need to do is _decide_ what we’ll do now that Master Qui-Gon is here.”

“This can give us an advantage in the war,” Master Tiin mused, voice quiet.

“Why is the Republic at war?  And why are we, as Jedi, participating in this?” Qui-Gon asked passionately.  “Is it not our mandate to maintain the peace?”

“It is a long story,” Adi Gallia answered.  “We are at war against the Confederacy of Independent Systems or the Separatists.  They branched away from the Republic over the past few years.  Cou—their leader declared war against the Republic.  They want control of all of our systems.”

“And what of this clone army?” Qui-Gon asked.

“They were made by Kaminoan scientists.  Clones of the bounty hunter Jango Fett,” Shaak Ti explained.

Qui-Gon shook his head.  Part of him wanted to yell at the Council more and more, but he held back.  He was a Jedi; there was no need for him to give in to his emotions.  “When did I die?” he asked softly.

He looked around the Council and at Obi-Wan and Anakin.  Everyone looked stunned, except for Obi-Wan, whose expression remained carefully blank.  _Too_ blank.

“It is pretty obvious, based on your reactions, that it has been a long time since you have last seen me.  I must be dead,” Qui-Gon explained.

Yoda nodded.  “Dead you are, Qui-Gon.  Sorry I am that found out this way, you did.”

“Tell me how,” Qui-Gon demanded.

A pause.  The Council glanced at each other, as if trying to quickly decide if this was what the Force wanted.

“No.”

Obi-Wan’s voice was quiet, but it echoed loud enough.  It was the first time he’d spoken since the meeting with the Council started.  His face was still pale, but the sharpness in his eyes spoke more volumes than his physical voice.

Qui-Gon, however, did not back away easily.  “And why not?” he challenged, turning around now to face his former padawan.

“That information is not relevant to what Master Windu mentioned,” Obi-Wan answered, looking up now to meet Qui-Gon’s gaze.  “It is not necessary for you to know.  We are deciding what we will do _now_ , not what has happened in the past.  It’s like you always said.  We must focus on the present, not the past or the future.”

Qui-Gon was stunned for a brief moment.  Of course Obi-Wan would turn one of his own lessons back at him.  “Very well,” he murmured, then swallowed.

Obi-Wan turned to the rest of the Council.  “What we will do is keep this quiet for now.  No one outside of the Order may know about this,” he said.  Qui-Gon’s jaw almost dropped open when the rest of the Council nodded and murmured in agreement.  When—and how—did Obi-Wan get the Council to agree with him so easily?  It always took Qui-Gon _forever_ to have the Council agree to his ideas.

“Skywalker, take Master Jinn to the quartermaster to get clothes and an apartment assignment,” Master Windu said, gesturing towards the door.

Anakin nodded, but Qui-Gon frowned and glanced at Obi-Wan.  “What about Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon asked.  It felt he didn’t get to spend any time with his former padawan.

“The Council has some more things to discuss,” Master Windu answered blandly.

“Yes, but what does…” Qui-Gon paused and then looked again at the empty chair.  _“Oh,”_ he murmured, then turned towards Obi-Wan again, who looked back at him steadily.  Obi-Wan was a Council member.  Of _course_ he was.  Qui-Gon was torn between shouting in frustration and applauding.  Qui-Gon was always considered the maverick Jedi, but the fact that his own padawan was considered model enough to be on the Council was…honestly, he didn’t know _how_ to feel about it.  “I shall take your leave, then,” he said to the Council, bowing and leaving the room.

He paused outside the door.  The door opened seconds later, and Anakin stepped out.  The younger Jedi shrugged.  “I assumed you knew,” he said in explanation.

Qui-Gon frowned.  “Let’s go,” he murmured and began to walk towards the elevators.

* * *

As Anakin raced out of the door, Obi-Wan moved slowly to his chair, feeling the eyes of the rest of the Council on him.  The attention made him extremely uncomfortable, even more so now.  Even Kit Fisto’s ever present grin was wiped clean off his face, a rarity that Obi-Wan has never seen before.

“So,” Obi-Wan said, breaking the silence that settled over the group, “I assume you want me to tell him everything that happened in the past twelve years and give you updates on him, too?”  His question was met with silence, so he crossed his legs, trying to draw the attention away from himself.  “He’s not going to be happy about Dooku—”

“Obi-Wan.”

Mace’s voice was stern yet gentle.  Obi-Wan immediately deflated.  His limbs felt heavy with exhaustion, and his head was pounding.  Despite the fact he told Master Che he would not do anything stressful for the next few days, he felt more overwhelmed now than before.  The room blurred, but he blinked hard to clear his vision and looked up at Mace.

“It’s fine,” he said finally.  He found himself saying that a lot lately.  His voice sounded hollow, even to him.  As time wore on and on, he found it harder and harder to pretend.  He previously thought he wouldn’t be able to adjust again to yet another massive change in his life, but now he has little choice.  It must be done. 

Mace looked like he wanted to argue, but he pressed his lips tightly together.

“It’s not _fine_ , Obi-Wan.”

Adi Gallia’s voice was gentle.  “Your master is a full grown man; there’s no need for you to take full responsibility of him,” she continued.  “I know that it’s a lot to suddenly have him back here, but the fact that he is here _now_ may mean well for us in the future,” she said.

“I hope it does,” Obi-Wan answered, then looked around.  Everyone was still staring at him with at least a certain degree of concern.  He resisted the urge to fidget and instead looked at Yoda.  “Is there anything else we need to discuss?” he asked, forcing himself to relax into his chair slightly.

Thankfully, Qui-Gon was not brought up again until the end of the meeting.

The meeting was finally over.  As the other Council members began to file out, Mace turned to him.  Yoda stood beside Mace, eyes wide. “You know Qui-Gon was my friend,” Mace said quietly.  “If you need any help, I am willing to—”

Obi-Wan shook his head.  “I’ll let you know,” he murmured.  “I have to go back now.  May the Force be with you.”  The two other Jedi Masters nodded at him, and he turned around slowly to exit the Council Chambers.

* * *

He checked his commlink for messages as he headed back towards the residential area.  Anakin left a bunch of text messages, the latest of which saying that Anakin, Ahsoka, and Qui-Gon were waiting for him in the refectory.  Obi-Wan frowned.  He didn’t feel particularly hungry, but he knew Master Che would have his head if he didn’t eat regularly.  He typed a quick response to Anakin and changed direction.

Anakin smiled and waved him over to a nearby table when he entered.  “I hope you don’t mind; we already started eating.  We didn’t know how long you would take,” he said.  True to his word, they were all eating dinner.

Obi-Wan nodded.  “I’ll just get something for myself, then,” he responded before walking over to the food line.  It took a few minutes for him to get some tea and bread.  When he got back he sat down next to Anakin, letting the tea steep for a few more minutes.

Ahsoka was talking to Qui-Gon about…something, but it was difficult for him to focus.  All the sounds surrounding him blurred into a constant hum.  He pressed down lightly on the tea bag with his spoon, his thoughts circulating elsewhere, almost jumping when Anakin said his name.

“Sorry, what?” he asked.

“Ahsoka was asking if you were up for a spar later,” Anakin said, eyebrows pinched into a frown.  Said padawan was smiling at him with hope in her eyes.  Qui-Gon, however, remained completely silent.

“Tomorrow?” he asked.  “It _is_ pretty late, and I have to finish some reports and additional Council work—”

“Why would you _join_ the Council?” Qui-Gon said finally.  His voice was not quite angry, but more frustrated.  Obi-Wan almost immediately felt like a padawan again, hearing that tone after so long.

“You may not agree with the Council, but it was an opportunity given to me, and I chose to accept it,” he said, turning finally to face Qui-Gon.  His former master’s eyes were horribly blank.  He thought back to that night Anakin was being tested, when Qui-Gon pushed him aside and took Anakin as his padawan.  A rush of emotion returned to him at that moment, but he pushed it away.

“You know how I feel about the Council, Obi-Wan; why would you think that—”

“This is probably not the best place to have this conversation,” Ahsoka pointed out, glancing around uncomfortably.  The Jedi sitting at the tables around them were watching them discreetly now, as much as they tried to hide it.

Qui-Gon exhaled slowly.  “I’m sorry,” he murmured.  “I am very out of place here, and I don’t quite know how to deal with this,” he admitted.

“It’s fine,” Anakin replied when Obi-Wan didn’t say anything.  Obi-Wan took a long sip of his tea and placed the mug on the table.  Anakin elbowed him, trying to get him to say something.

“Forgive me,” he murmured finally. 

“Are you feeling okay?” Anakin asked.  Obi-Wan distinctly wondered if his exhaustion was leaking through their Force bond and tightened his shields slightly.

“Just tired, I suppose,” he answered, then looked at Ahsoka again.  “Would tomorrow work, Ahsoka?” he asked, resuming their previous conversation.

“Yeah, that’s fine!” She smiled after swallowing some of her food.  “Master Qui-Gon, you can come too, if you’re not busy,” she said.  Qui-Gon nodded in response, chewing thoughtfully.

“Let’s head back to the apartment,” Anakin suggested.  All four Jedi cleared their tables in complete silence and left the refectory.  The silence continued as they walked through the Temple, but Obi-Wan didn’t think much of it; there was so much he had to do and very little time.  And now that Qui-Gon was here, it seemed that the stakes were even higher than before.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! The next chapter will be up Wednesday, August 16th.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qui-Gon adjusts to Temple life, and learns a few more truths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented, left kudos, bookmarked, and subscribed! It really means a lot to me.
> 
> Just a note that this chapter and future ones will make references to The Clone Wars: Wild Space by Karen Miller. It's not required to read that to understand what's going on here.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“What’s the deal with them?” Ahsoka asked once they were alone.  Obi-Wan left some time earlier to get some datapads from the Archives, while Master Qui-Gon went back to his apartment.

“It’s a long story, Snips,” Anakin answered, scrolling through a datapad.

“You know, I had a feeling you would say that, Skyguy,” she said before sighing, standing up, and walking back to the bedroom she shared with Anakin.

The door flew open moments later.  Obi-Wan walked in, holding a few datapads.  Anakin looked up at him and shook his head.  “Master, I’m sorry, but have you been sleeping?” he asked.  He figured that since Ahsoka and Qui-Gon weren’t in the room, he could finally address this.

“Anakin, really, I’m fine,” Obi-Wan answered as he shuffled towards an armchair and sat down.  He still looked pale and the dark shadows under his eyes suddenly seemed more prominent than usual.

“That’s not what I asked,” Anakin pressed.  “You only just left the Healers’ a few hours ago; can’t you take a break until tomorrow at least?” he asked.

Obi-Wan frowned at this.  “That was the plan, but now I’m even more behind than I was before, Anakin.  I need to finish these now,” he answered.  His voice was soft but sharp, allowing for literally no argument.  Knights, Padawans, and even some Masters would immediately back down from any argument with Obi-Wan using that voice, but Anakin wasn’t just _anybody_.

“If you do that, I’m going to call Master Che,” Anakin threatened.  “I can practically _feel_ your migraine coming.  If you don’t sleep _now_ , you’ll be out of commission for at least a week, and then you’ll end up even more behind!”

Obi-Wan blinked.  He remained completely still.  Then his eyes widened.  “Something’s wrong,” he murmured, and then Anakin felt it.  Despair in the Force.  Moments later, the door opened again and Qui-Gon stood in the doorway, midnight eyes wide.

“Did either of you think of telling me that _Dooku_ is the leader of the Separatists?” he asked, walking over to the couch and sitting next to Anakin.

Obi-Wan sighed.  “I really hoped you wouldn’t find out this way,” he admitted.  “A lot had happened since the time you arrived from.”

“I wasn’t quite surprised to hear that Dooku left the Order; he was talking about it for years, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon continued, voice in a rush.  “And that’s why I never really wanted you to meet him.  But the fact he’s leading the ones we’re fighting against?  That doesn’t sound like him,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan said finally.  “You must know, Master…” he continued, distantly realizing that _this_ was the first time he was addressing Qui-Gon as such.  “Dooku is a Sith Lord.”

Qui-Gon’s eyes widened.  “No, that’s impossible, Obi-Wan,” he murmured.  “Remember that red and black beast, from Tattooine?  _That_ was a Sith Lord.  Dooku wouldn’t _join_ them…He wasn’t exactly happy with the Order, and I knew he was going to leave _eventually_ , but I know him.  He wouldn’t join the Sith.”

“Master Qui-Gon, I know it’s hard to hear, but it’s true,” Anakin said.  He lifted his mechanical hand and slowly removed the glove, removing the prosthetic underneath.

Qui-Gon gasped.  “Ani, I…how?” he asked, voice rough.  Though his eyes were shining, no tears fell.  Anakin was a little surprised to see such emotion from him.

“It was Dooku, Master Qui-Gon.  He is a Sith Lord.  I know it’s hard to hear, but…” Anakin trailed off and put the glove back on.

“How did you find out?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I wanted to see if he was still here, and when I couldn’t find him, I took to the Holonet, and…” Qui-Gon trailed off.

“I’m sorry, Master,” Obi-Wan repeated.  “If there’s anything else you want to talk about, let me know,” he said before picking up the datapads and standing up.  As soon as he stood however, the datapads slipped from his hands and he collapsed back onto the chair with a quiet gasp.  Anakin shouted and moved forward immediately, but Qui-Gon was faster.

“Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon exclaimed, reaching forward and picking up the datapads from the ground.  Luckily, none of them were broken.  He placed them on the side table and studied his former padawan, who exhaled slowly and opened his eyes again.

“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan murmured.

“Stop lying, Obi-Wan,” Anakin answered, moving closer.  “Get some sleep, and if you’re feeling up for work in the morning you can do it then,” he insisted.  Convincing Obi-Wan to do anything was incredibly difficult, but Anakin hoped that having Qui-Gon around would make it easier.

It turned out that Qui-Gon’s presence didn’t do much for Obi-Wan’s stubbornness.  “I only tripped, Anakin; it’s fine,” Obi-Wan responded, reaching around Qui-Gon for the datapads and standing again.  He moved slowly this time to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.

Qui-Gon remained kneeling against the armchair, head bowed.  Anakin could feel a desperate sadness in him. “Tell me how I died, Anakin,” he said finally.  His voice was quiet, but Anakin heard him clearly.

Anakin shook his head.  “You know I can’t, Master,” he answered.

“If I go back to my own time, I need to stop my death from happening,” Qui-Gon’s voice was insistent, and Anakin wanted nothing more than to agree with him.  “I cannot…stand to see Obi-Wan like this,” he admitted.  “He did a fine job training you, Anakin, don’t get me wrong, but it feels as though it came with a cost to himself.”

Anakin frowned, deep in thought.  “I may have been… _difficult_ at times, Master Qui-Gon, but the situation right now is more due to the war and Obi-Wan’s role in it,” he said.  When Qui-Gon frowned, he continued.  “And besides, Obi-Wan would have to be the one to tell you.  It would be _wrong_ for me to say anything without him knowing or being there.”

Qui-Gon sighed.  “I’ll have to convince him,” he murmured, more to himself it seemed.

Anakin didn’t reply, but fidgeted slightly with the sleeve of his robe.

“Is he still getting migraines?” Qui-Gon asked softly.  They were a bit of a problem at times during Obi-Wan’s apprenticeship, but recently, Qui-Gon has become quite adept at nipping them in the bud, even without Obi-Wan having to say anything.

“Well, yes, but…” Anakin bit his lip.  “It’s different now.”

Qui-Gon frowned.  “What do you mean?”

“A few months ago, he went on some mission to Zigoola,” Anakin explained.  He dropped the sleeve of his robe and leaned back in his chair.  “I still don’t know exactly what happened there, but it was—bad,” he finished.

“Zigoola?” Qui-Gon murmured, reaching back deep into his memory.  The name certainly sounded familiar…

“Obi-Wan hasn’t been able to bounce back from that,” Anakin sighed.  “The migraines come almost once to twice a week, and according to Master Che it’s near impossible for him to sleep or eat regularly.”

Qui-Gon thought of his padawan, back in his own time, struggling through the beginning of his apprenticeship because of these sudden, but incapacitating headaches.  It wasn’t often, he recalled, maybe once every few months, but that fact that now it was every _week_ was, well, extremely concerning.

Anakin continued softly.  “He collapsed mid-mission last week, when we were on Ryloth, before you arrived.  Force exhaustion, of all things,” Anakin mused.  His eyes widened at the memory of it.  “It was scary, Master.”

Qui-Gon frowned.  “I want to help, Anakin, but if Obi-Wan is not willing to talk to me properly, there isn’t much I can do,” he said.

“Maybe if we give it some time…” Anakin trailed off.

Qui-Gon shrugged.  “We’ll have to see,” he decided.  He looked at the chrono on the wall and blinked in surprise.  “It’s getting late.  I suppose I’m not quite on Coruscant’s sleep schedule yet,” he realized.  “Good night, Anakin.”

“Good night, Master Qui-Gon,” Anakin responded.

* * *

Qui-Gon found himself amazed at Anakin’s ability with a lightsaber.  He used a variant of Form V, Djem So, with a strength that was well beyond Qui-Gon’s.  He dueled with Ahsoka with vigor, while Obi-Wan stood behind Ahsoka and corrected the grip on her shoto every so often.  It apparently was Ahsoka’s second time using a shoto, but she was showing affinity for it, especially with the reverse grip.  Qui-Gon never really considered a reverse-grip as an option, but seeing Ahsoka use it so well almost made sense.

Qui-Gon watched them, feeling loneliness more keenly than before.  He missed his padawan and Anakin and even _Dooku_ and Yoda and Mace from his own time.  He felt as though he didn’t belong here.  He wondered, not for the first time, if the Force would ever send him back or if he was just stuck here.

Anakin turned to him.  “Master, do you want to spar?” he asked eagerly.  Ahsoka has turned off both sabers and was watching him too.

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon answered, and when his former padawan looked up at him with a strange expression in his eyes, Qui-Gon moved up to him and pulled out his own saber.  He switched the setting to the lowest one, watching as Obi-Wan did the same with his own saber and as Ahsoka and Anakin backed away.

Qui-Gon activated his lightsaber first and immediately shifted into an Ataru stance.  Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment, eyes bright, before turning on his lightsaber.  In a single, fluid motion, he was holding a _Soresu_ pose, of all things.

Qui-Gon’s eyes widened.  “What happened to Ataru?” he asked.  Obi-Wan seemed pretty intent as a padawan to learn Ataru, but to see him now, as a Jedi Master, using a different form was shocking.  Especially since he _knew_ that Obi-Wan did not particularly like Soresu when Qui-Gon first taught it to him.

Obi-Wan shrugged.  “I changed my mind,” he answered. 

With that, Qui-Gon struck first.  Obi-Wan met every single one of his blows with well-practiced ease, even when Qui-Gon began to speed up his movements with the Force.  Soon enough, Obi-Wan was able to anticipate his own movements even before he decided what he would do.  Soresu was a smart choice, and it fit him well, Qui-Gon realized.  His padawan’s abilities were now…incredible.

The bout was quick, but within thirty seconds, Qui-Gon’s saber flew out of his hand and Obi-Wan caught it, pointing both at Qui-Gon’s throat.  Qui-Gon blinked.  “Solah,” he murmured as Obi-Wan turned off both sabers and handed Qui-Gon’s back to him.  Obi-Wan looked pale now, his breaths momentarily uneven.  Qui-Gon saw his hands shake slightly for a moment, but they stilled and Obi-Wan crossed them and turned around to walk towards Anakin and Ahsoka.

“Master, you’re sweating,” Anakin pointed out, moving closer to Obi-Wan, who released a breath.

“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan insisted.  “You two spar for a bit,” he told them, and sat down against the wall, arms loosely wrapped around his knees.  Anakin shrugged and walked with Ahsoka to the center of the sparring mat.

Qui-Gon walked over and sat down next to him.  Obi-Wan practically _vibrated_ with tension.  His Force bond with Obi-Wan was practically nonexistent now, but he could feel _illness_ spread throughout his Force presence.  Obi-Wan took another breath and rubbed at his forehead.

“Do you need a Healer?” Qui-Gon murmured, so that Anakin and Ahsoka wouldn’t hear.

Obi-Wan snorted.  “If I go now, Master Che will keep me there for at least another week,” he answered.

Qui-Gon frowned.  “Maybe that’s what you need, Obi-Wan,” he said gently.  “Anakin told me that you’ve been getting migraines every week.  You need to resolve this.”

“Believe me, I want to, Master,” Obi-Wan said, watching Anakin and Ahsoka intently.  “But with this war, there simply isn’t time…” He trailed off and chuckled lightly as Ahsoka quickly tripped Anakin over with a quick sweep of her right leg.  He tumbled onto the ground on his back and she kneeled on him, both sabers crossed at his throat.

“She is quite talented,” Master Qui-Gon commented, as Anakin quickly used his saber to knock Ahsoka’s shoto out of her left hand and rolled so that Ahsoka was pinned on the ground.  After a moment of struggle, she deflated and murmured, “Solah.” 

“She is,” Obi-Wan agreed with a light smile.  “She reminded me of you sometimes,” he continued, watching as Anakin and Ahsoka started to spar again, Ahsoka using only one saber this time.

“If you mean that she has affinity in the Living Force, I might agree with you there,” Qui-Gon said. 

Obi-Wan’s commlink beeped before he could reply.  He sighed and pulled it off his belt, glancing at the message he just received before standing up slowly, hand resting against the wall.  “I’m needed for a briefing,” he explained, dusting off his robes quickly.  His eyes were red with dark shadows underneath that contrasted greatly with the pallor of his skin.  Before Qui-Gon could comment, Obi-Wan was walking away quickly towards the door.

He looked at Anakin and Ahsoka and stood up.  He should practice a bit more, considering it (apparently) was twelve years since he had last done so.

* * *

“So I realize you can’t tell me about my death, Anakin,” Qui-Gon began.  They were back at Obi-Wan’s apartment, sitting at the living room.  Obi-Wan was still at the briefing, while Ahsoka went to do some homework in the Archives.  Anakin was working on a report he was apparently supposed to submit two weeks ago, before he left for Ryloth, while Qui-Gon drank some sapir tea.  “Could you tell me about your apprenticeship, then?” he asked.

Anakin frowned and tapped at the datapad furiously.  “I don’t see why not,” he answered, “what do you want to know?” he asked.

“When did you become Obi-Wan’s padawan?” Qui-Gon asked, figuring he should start at the beginning.

Anakin blinked.  He put the datapad to the side and looked up at Qui-Gon.  “Master, it was right after…your death,” he answered slowly.

“Right _after_?” Qui-Gon commented surprised.  “I’m surprised the Council allowed that to happen.  Usually it takes a few weeks to transfer a padawan, even if my own former padawan was teaching my current one.”

“Well…” Anakin trailed off and sighed.  “It was an unusual occasion,” he explained, eyes dark.  Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow, clearly wanting more explanation.  “I never really was your padawan to begin with,” he mumbled.

Qui-Gon frowned.  “What do you mean?” he asked, surprised.  “The Council didn’t…” then he trailed off, eyes widening suddenly.  “Anakin, did I die on that day on Naboo?” he asked, voice low.  “The time that I just came from, was that…my death?”

Anakin cursed.  “I should _not_ have said that!” he exclaimed, eyes wide with frustration.  “Obi-Wan and the Council’s gonna be _so_ upset,” he continued, covering his eyes with both hands.  “I am so stupid!” he shouted as the door opened and Obi-Wan walked in.

“Well, the first step is admitting it, Anakin, so that’s a good sign,” Obi-Wan said with a quick smile, then turned to Qui-Gon, who still looked horrified.  “Master, what happened?” he asked, his smile quickly turning into a frown.

“I’m sorry, Obi-Wan, we were talking and it accidentally slipped out.  I didn’t mean to, I swear, it just happened,” Anakin rambled.

Obi-Wan sat down next to Qui-Gon, who remained silent.  “What do you mean, Anakin?” he asked, voice even.

“I may have told him a tidbit about his death,” Anakin mumbled.

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened.  “Stars’ end, Anakin!” he exclaimed.  Anakin was a _terrible_ liar, he knew that, but he was sure that Anakin would be careful not to reveal anything to Qui-Gon about his death.  Obi-Wan sighed.  He should have known better.  He breathed deeply, preparing himself for a _long_ conversation.  “What exactly did you tell him, Anakin?” he asked.

“He said that I died on Naboo,” Qui-Gon answered, having recovered slightly from his shock.  He turned to face Obi-Wan now, eyes honest.  “That day, the time I just came from.  I died inside that palace, didn’t I, Obi-Wan?” he asked quietly.

Obi-Wan froze for a brief moment.

“For the record, he guessed all of that, I technically didn’t say anything, actually,” Anakin put in.

There was a long beat of silence.  Obi-Wan shifted, turning slowly to Anakin, eyes wide and face white.  “Anakin,” he whispered.  “Leave.”

Anakin blinked, stunned.  “What?” he gasped.  Obi-Wan _never_ ordered him just to leave or to do anything before, he usually just asked, unless it had to do with a mission or something important.  And he never ever said it so bluntly.  He felt his stomach twist slightly, a _burning_ feeling taking over inside him.  “No, I’m gonna stay—”

“I’m going to tell Master Qui-Gon everything,” Obi-Wan explained, voice slightly louder, but still hoarse.  “In order for me to do that, I’m sorry, but I can’t have you here while—”

“No!” Anakin exclaimed, jumping to his feet.  “Look, I already know everything that _happened_ that day, so what do you have to hide from me?  What is so important that you can say to him that you can’t say to me, Obi-Wan?” he asked, anger coloring his voice.

“Anakin.”

Qui-Gon’s voice cut through the air like a shard of glass.  Anakin immediately deflated, though he still seemed shaken by rage.  He stood up, his Force presence and his expression icy.  “Let me know when you’re _done_ , Obi-Wan,” he gritted before turning sharply and leaving the apartment.

* * *

“Anakin!” Padmé exclaimed, running over to her husband.  She was alone in her apartment at 500 Republica, looking over some documents for the Senate when he walked in.  Padmé frowned when she saw the deep scowl on Anakin’s features.  “Ani, what’s wrong?” she asked, sitting him down on the couch next to her.

“It’s just that…” Anakin bit his lip, deep in thought.  “I’m not really supposed to be telling you this, Padmé, but it’s Master Qui-Gon,” he explained, voice shaking.

Padmé frowned.  The Jedi Master was one of the two Jedi that had saved her planet from the Trade Federation’s blockade twelve years ago, the second being Jinn’s padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Master Jinn died during the Battle of Naboo at the hands of the Sith.  She remembered Anakin and Obi-Wan’s devastation, remembered that amongst all the celebration and happiness that ensued after the battle, the Jedi were mourning.  “What _about_ him?” she asked carefully.  Why bring him up now, almost twelve years after his passing?

Anakin blinked.  “Well, we don’t have an exact explanation for this, but he’s here now.  The Council thinks that he was sent here from the past.  Sent by the Force,” Anakin explained.

“Wait, so he’s here?” Padmé asked, surprised.  Time travel was…well, she’d never heard of it actually happening before, so to hear that it was possible was, well, surprising.

Anakin nodded.  “He came here from the time right before the Battle of Naboo began,” he explained.  “The Council decided that it was best that he didn’t know how he died, but he was able to figure out pretty quickly that it was going to be the very day that he just came from.”  Anakin’s words were quick and low, so Padmé inched closer to listen carefully.  “Obi-Wan decided to tell him everything, but he didn’t allow me to stay!” Anakin exclaimed. 

“So?” Padmé asked, confused.

“So, I _know_ what happened that day!  You do too, Padmé!” he shouted.  “I feel like Obi-Wan is trying to hide something from me, or he thinks that I don’t deserve to hear what happened from his perspective,” he continued.  “I’ve seen the security recordings, but he’s never, _ever_ , talked to me about that day since it happened.  In his eyes, it’s like it never happened.  And now that he’s willingly _talking_ to Master Qui-Gon about it, he refuses to let _me_ hear it?” he asked passionately.

Padmé put her hand on his forearm, gently stopping him.  “Anakin,” she said softly.  “That day was…terrible.”  She put up a hand, preventing him from starting another tirade.  “Don’t get me wrong, it was an important victory for Naboo, and I am glad to have been a part of it, but there were so many lives lost, Master Jinn’s included,” she murmured.  “I am willing to assume that it is not easy for Obi-Wan to talk about it, and he’d rather it be a private conversation with Master Jinn than—”

“But I could’ve helped him then,” Anakin insisted, voice quieter now. 

“Sometimes, Anakin, people need to do things on their own.  This might be good in the long run,” Padmé explained.  She smiled and then moved closer to him.  “Now, husband, I haven’t seen you in almost two weeks,” she said with a smile before moving forward to place her lips on his.

* * *

Obi-Wan released a sigh and sat back, closing his eyes.  Qui-Gon watched him, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say.  After a few moments, he opened his eyes and moved forward again, hands resting on his knees.

“I haven’t talked about this in… _years_ , I think,” Obi-Wan began.  “Anakin does have a general understanding of what happened there.  He has watched the security recordings _multiple times_ , from what I understand, but for me to talk to you about it…it would be impossible for me to do it as a Jedi, Master,” he explained.  “And I don’t want Anakin to see that.”

Qui-Gon nodded.  “That’s fine,” he said quietly.  Qui-Gon wasn’t exactly a strict follower of the Code, so he believed that emotions were necessary to a Jedi’s life, but they had to be released into the Force once they were _fully_ acknowledged.  He understood what Obi-Wan was trying to say without exactly speaking it aloud.

Obi-Wan swallowed.  “As you might know, we entered the palace through the hangar,” he began.  “We cleared the hangar and the Queen’s pilots took the ships to destroy the blockade.  The beast you faced on Tatooine—the Sith—was waiting for us.”

Qui-Gon wasn’t surprised to hear that.  Once he knew he died on that day, on Naboo, it was easy for him to deduce who it would be that sent him to the Force.

Obi-Wan began to slowly describe the duel that ensued.  His voice was quiet and relatively even, but he had to stop from time to time to gather his bearings.

“I was knocked off and landed down at a lower level,” Obi-Wan explained after another lengthy pause.  “You continued dueling the Sith.  I kept telling you to _wait_ , Master, through the bond—” he cut himself off harshly and rubbed at his eyes furiously.  “You didn’t wait for me.”

“You were heading into a power generator complex,” Obi-Wan continued.  “There were a series of ray shields that turned on and off with a timer.”  He took a few breaths, as if he was forcing his tears back. 

Qui-Gon rubbed at his arm.  “Take your time,” he said gently, wondering if Obi-Wan had _ever_ talked to anyone about this in detail.  He wondered how or why he didn’t go to the mind healers, but he put that thought to the side.  That wasn’t important right now.

“You were dueling the Sith inside the complex.  I was—” Obi-Wan’s voice was slightly harsh now.  “—too slow.  Trapped behind the last of the ray shields.  And I couldn’t do anything but watch, and…”  He wiped a tear from his eye and blinked a few times.  “He stabbed you, Master,” he whispered.

“The ray shields opened, and I was—giving into my anger.  It’s not the Jedi way, I know that, but…” Obi-Wan shook his head.  “He knocked me into the pit, but I held on to the edge.  My lightsaber fell in, so I was dangling there with no weapon,” he said.  “The Sith was overconfident. I used the Force to grab your lightsaber, jumped over him, and then cut him in half.  He fell into the pit right after,” Obi-Wan’s voice was basically nonexistent, but Qui-Gon had no trouble hearing him.

“You were barely alive, Master,” Obi-Wan said, rubbing at an eye.  “You made me promise to train Anakin, and then…you passed.” 

Qui-Gon blinked.  “I told you to train Anakin and that’s it?” he wondered, surprised.

Obi-Wan frowned, pressing a hand to his temple.  “Were you expecting something else?” he asked, confused.  His voice was haltingly slow now, as though just _talking_ completely drained him of energy.

“I mean, I—” Qui-Gon cut himself off and took a deep breath.  “I suppose I was being short-sighted at the time, Obi-Wan,” he explained.  He moved closer to face Obi-Wan directly.  “I found it _very_ important that Anakin was to be trained as a Jedi.  He is the Chosen One, after all.  But I shouldn’t have pushed you aside to achieve that,” he said with a smile.  “I was so glad to have trained you, Obi-Wan,” he admitted.  “I _am_ amazed at the Jedi Master you are, and I will always be honored to have known you.  I see now that the Force has given us this miraculous opportunity for me to say this because I clearly did not get to say everything I wanted to before,” Qui-Gon admitted.  “But, that’s beside the point.  I am _proud_ of you, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Obi-Wan shuddered before tears filled his eyes.  Qui-Gon quickly wrapped his arms around his quivering shoulders and pulled him to his shoulder.  Obi-Wan stiffened at first before melting into the hug with a dry sob.  Obi-Wan shook with his cries, while Qui-Gon rubbed his back soothingly and forced his own tears back.

After a few moments, Obi-Wan pulled away.  His eyes were redder than before.  He sagged against the back of the couch, clearly exhausted.  “Obi-Wan?” he asked, slightly concerned.  Obi-Wan trembled again, pressing his fingertips to his skull tightly. Just as the Force blared suddenly in warning, Obi-Wan fell sideways off the couch and onto the floor, unconscious.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> So I just finished my summer class, so I should have more time to write, which means I should be able to update a bit sooner! I'm hoping to have the next chapter up this weekend, Monday at the latest. See you then!


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more truths are revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who commented, left kudos, subscribed, and bookmarked! I am just amazed at the response this story is getting :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Anakin’s commlink beeped.  Someone was calling him.  He sighed internally and broke away from Padmé.  This was the first time in almost a month that he was alone with his wife.  He didn’t _want_ any interruptions.  He glanced at the number calling him.  “It’s Obi-Wan,” he explained, voice rough.

Padmé nodded.  “They must be done, then,” she said.

Anakin pressed the answer button.  “Obi-Wan, you’re done?” he asked, standing up to quickly put on his shirt.

_“Anakin.”_   The voice wasn’t Obi-Wan’s.  Padmé’s eyes widened, not having heard that voice in well over a decade.

“Master Qui-Gon?” Anakin was surprised, then remembered that Qui-Gon wasn’t given a commlink of his own yet.  He was probably just borrowing Obi-Wan’s or something.  The Force, however, was nudging at him, trying to say something important.

_“You need to get to the Healer’s,”_ Qui-Gon said.  His voice wasn’t exactly frantic, but it had a hint of concern.

Anakin’s eyes widened.  “The Healer’s Ward?” he asked, and glanced at Padmé, who looked as concerned as he felt now.  “Why, what happened?” He didn’t want to think that something happened while he was so _angry_ at Obi-Wan, at Qui-Gon for taking his side.

_“It’s Obi-Wan,”_ was all that Qui-Gon said. 

Anakin nodded, carefully pushing the overwhelming concern he felt to the side.  “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” he said.  It was rush hour, but he hoped that he could still get there quickly.

Anakin could hear the pause before Qui-Gon spoke.  _“Are you not at the Temple, Ani?”_ Qui-Gon asked, confused.

“Yeah, I just…” Anakin glanced at Padmé, who mouthed at him furiously.  “…stepped out for a bit,” he finished.  “I’ll be there as quick as I can.  Make sure you talk to Master Che about what happened,” he said before clicking off.

“What’s wrong with Obi-Wan?” Padmé asked quietly.  Anakin could see the open concern in her eyes.

“It’s hard to say,” Anakin answered.  He gathered his belongings and looked at his wife again, whose eyebrow was raised.  He sighed.  “He never quite recovered from Zigoola,” he murmured.  “The Healers have been trying to find a solution to all this, but it’s…difficult.”

Padmé nodded.  “Go, then,” she whispered, watching him as he turned around and quickly left the apartment.

* * *

“Master Qui-Gon.”

Qui-Gon turned around at the familiar voice.  Master Vokara Che looked _exactly_ the same as she did 12 years ago, right down to the constant look of disapproval on her face.  She smirked upon seeing his expression and walked up to him.

“I had heard the rumors, but it had seemed impossible.  I didn’t want to believe it until I saw you with my own eyes.  And with _your_ track record, I knew that would be soon enough,” she said, slightly in awe.

They stood in the waiting room, which, thankfully, was empty.  When Qui-Gon arrived, carrying Obi-Wan in his arms, the healers immediately bustled to him, taking his charge and telling him to wait for someone to call him inside. 

“Yes, well…” Qui-Gon trailed off.  He looked away for a moment.  The Healer’s Ward looked very similar to how it did when he last stood here, but some things were markedly different.  “How’s Obi-Wan?” he asked, voice dry.

Master Che frowned.  “Come with me to my office,” she said softly.  “I don’t know how much you know about what’s happened these past few years.  You can see him afterwards,” she promised.

He followed her into her office and sat down across from her.  He’d only been in this room twice before: once as a padawan, when Dooku decided that he should spend a day to learn about Force healing, and once soon after Tahl died, when Obi-Wan got in a sparring accident that nearly cost him his life.  He shuddered at that memory, remembering the abandonment he saw in Obi-Wan’s eyes.  He didn’t want to see that ever again.

“Zigoola, from what we understand, is a Sith planet,” Che began, her voice even.  “Obi-Wan hasn’t told me the exact details from his mission there, but according to Senator Organa, the Sith presence on that planet caused Obi-Wan to hallucinate and have visions. The whole time he was there, it was a constant battle in his mind,” she explained.  “When he came back here, he was severely dehydrated and starved, and he had a terrible lightsaber burn on his knee.”  She sighed.  “The physical injuries weren’t that bad, but the battle in his mind was…harrowing.”

Qui-Gon remained silent, thinking. 

“Soon after he recovered from the physical injuries, Obi-Wan began to have more persistent migraines.  They were more severe than the ones you might remember, Qui-Gon, and lasted much longer even when treated,” she continued.  Vokara Che shook her head.  “This led to severe exhaustion, but Obi-Wan chose to ignore his body’s needs while he was at the front.  Soon enough, he started using the Force to get himself through the day, which you know, never ends well.”

“So when Anakin called me from Ryloth, I told the Council to pull him out from there and bring him back here,” she said.  She shook her head.  “It was the worst I had seen him yet, Qui-Gon,” she sighed.  “He had Force exhaustion, adrenaline poisoning, and he told me that he could barely remember what _not_ having a migraine felt like.  Anything that he ate or drank immediately came back up, and I could easily feel his distress in the Force.”  Vokara’s voice was a whisper.

“Force,” Qui-Gon replied, covering his face with both hands.  “I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t realize—”

“That it was this?” Vokara Che laughed hollowly.  After a moment of silence, she spoke again.  “Now I have to tell you what’s happening now,” she said.  “What you witnessed, from what I understand, is his body shutting down from exhaustion.  At some point, he _stopped_ using the Force to keep the symptoms away and his body immediately shut down because it couldn’t take any more.”

Qui-Gon breathed deeply, trying to reel in his emotions.  It made sense that after telling him everything, Obi-Wan would simply _let go_.  That didn’t prevent him from realizing how scary it was.

“I’m going to keep him sedated for a while and hopefully he can have a natural sleep afterwards, once it wears off,” she explained.  “He’s been tachycardic and running a low fever since he came here, but I’m hoping that’s because of the adrenaline.  That should hopefully subside soon.  I’m inclined to put him on Force suppressors for a while, so he can gain back his energy naturally, but being cut off from the Force will make him feel worse.  We’ll have to see how he’s doing once he wakes,” she decided.

Qui-Gon nodded.  At that moment, there was a knock on the door.  Anakin poked his head in.  “They told me to come in here,” he explained, letting himself in the room.

“Skywalker,” Master Che greeted with a nod.  “I’ll allow Master Jinn to explain what happened.  In the meantime, I’ll take you both to see him,” she said, leading them out the door.

Qui-Gon studied Anakin as they walked.  He looked deeply concerned but also a bit frustrated, as though he was in the middle of doing something important.

“Here we are, then,” Master Che announced before opening the door and ushering them in.

* * *

“What if we reconstruct our Force bond?”

“What?”

Obi-Wan’s voice was hoarse, but the incredulity in it was extremely clear.

“Well…” Qui-Gon began, “it may be possible that the damage done from the bond breaking initially was aggravated when you were on Zigoola.”  Anakin left about two hours ago, having to go to the Council Chambers for a war meeting.

Obi-Wan frowned slightly, deep in thought.  It had been about three hours since he woke, easily breaking through the sedation that he was given.  Master Che was annoyed because he was only unconscious for a little over an hour, but he couldn’t exactly control that.  His sleep had always been light, especially now.

The migraine pulsed a staccato beat in his mind.  He sucked in a slow breath before leaning his head back against the headboard.  The nausea stirring at the bottom of his stomach immediately reared upwards, and he quickly covered his mouth in response.  He forced the bile down his throat once it rose, feeling the acid burn through his windpipe.  Obi-Wan cleared his throat, trying to rid himself of the feeling in his throat.

“I’m sorry,” he rasped, once it was over.  Qui-Gon’s hand felt cool on his own (probably because of his fever).  He felt more like a Padawan now that Qui-Gon was here.  When he first woke, he forgot, for a few moments, about the war and Anakin and Ahsoka and _everything_.  And seeing Qui-Gon…it made it _easy_ to just forget, as brief as it was.

“For what?” his former master asked, slightly amused.  “For being sick?  I think you know you should have taken better care of yourself before it got to this point, but you don’t need to apologize for that, Obi-Wan,” he admonished. 

Obi-Wan glanced down at the tube attached to his wrist.  The drug did help slightly with the pain, but he wanted ( _needed_ ) to leave the Healer’s to finish his reports for the Council.  It simply wouldn’t do to finish them late.  Again.  On the other hand, if he tried to leave now, Master Che would not be pleased, which would lead to even more problems.  She was a formidable opponent.

“Do you want to try eating again?” Qui-Gon asked.  He picked up a plate of biscuits that the healers gave him a while earlier; when Obi-Wan tried it earlier he ended up spitting it out almost as soon as he swallowed.

Obi-Wan made a face.  He had no appetite for anything, but he knew he had to eat.  “Give me one,” he said as he sat up a bit more.  The biscuit tasted like cardboard in his mouth but he forced it down with a harsh swallow, feeling his stomach churn almost immediately in response.

Qui-Gon smiled lightly.

“Don’t you have more important things to do, Master?” Obi-Wan asked, closing his eyes against the bright lights.  _Force_ , he was tired, but it seemed he was never tired enough to sleep.  It was becoming rather annoying.

Qui-Gon chuckled.  “For me, you are still my padawan, Obi-Wan.  I know it’s been twelve years for you, but for me it’s been only two days.  You are my priority,” Qui-Gon answered finally.

Obi-Wan snorted.  “If that were truly the case, Master, I’m sure you wouldn’t have tried to take on a second apprentice when you already had one,” he said, opening his eyes now.

“The Council was rejecting him, Obi-Wan; I had to do _something_ to make sure he stayed.  He’s the Chosen One,” Qui-Gon explained.  The _need_ he felt just days ago to train the Chosen One, to fulfil the prophecy, suddenly began to burn in him once again.  “You should know that by now, padawan.”  Qui-Gon’s voice was colored with the same passion that Obi-Wan remembered from all those years ago.

“Is that how you see Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked.  He exhaled harshly, clumsily grabbing at the Force to push away the pain searing through his mind.  “As a part of a prophecy that may or may not be true, Master?  As a _tool_?”  His breaths felt hot in his chest and he felt the pain push _back_ into his mind.  He gritted his teeth against it, ignoring the concern that instantly appeared in Qui-Gon’s leonine features.  “He’s _more_ than that, and if you didn’t leave me to train him myself, you would have realized that.” 

Qui-Gon didn’t reply.  Obi-Wan struggled to breathe deeply, centering himself slowly.  “I apologize, Master,” he said finally, forcing himself to relax.  “That was uncalled for.”

Qui-Gon simply looked up at him, eyes wide with some unfamiliar emotion.  “Excuse me,” he murmured before turning around and walking out the door.

Obi-Wan sighed and groaned, pressing a hand to his temple.  That went well.

* * *

“Master Qui-Gon?”

He sat at the Room of a Thousand Fountains, deep in meditation.  He could feel every single life form in the Temple, almost every single _cell_.He even felt Ahsoka’s approach, but decided to wait until she spoke to react.  Qui-Gon looked up from his meditation at the Togruta before him.  Ahsoka looked somewhat surprised to see him; she probably thought he would still be at the Healer’s with Obi-Wan.  He smiled in greeting.  “Hello, Ahsoka.”

She smiled back, uncertain.  It seemed that she had a vivacious personality around Anakin and even Obi-Wan, but she did not know how to act around Qui-Gon.  “How’s Master Kenobi?” she asked quietly.  “Anakin told me what happened.”

“He’s awake,” Qui-Gon answered, watching as she sat beside him.  “Unfortunately, he’s still…unwell,” he finished lamely.

Obi-Wan’s sudden outburst had surprised him, so he left the Ward and walked around the Temple until he found himself in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.  It had obviously changed over time, since the last time he had been here, but a lot of it remained the same, thankfully.  He felt more at peace when he felt pure _life_ surrounding him, the Force almost singing with content.

“Oh,” Ahsoka said, eyes downcast.  She leaned back slightly, looking up at the clear sky above her.  “Could I ask a question, Master?”

“You just did,” Qui-Gon answered almost immediately.

Ahsoka laughed slightly, a sound that, after so long, gave Qui-Gon a warm feeling in his stomach.  “I know you were the Jedi who found Master Skywalker when he was a child, and there were all these rumors about him accepted into the Order at a much older age, and the Council usually is really _strict_ about that,” she rambled.  “So how did you manage to convince them?” she asked.

“I didn’t, actually,” Qui-Gon admitted.  “While I was the one who found and brought Anakin to the Temple, it was Obi-Wan who got him accepted into the Order.  When I brought Anakin before the Council to be tested, they said no.  But…somehow Obi-Wan must have convinced them,” Qui-Gon mused.  He realized that there was still so much from that time that he didn’t know, much to his surprise.

Ahsoka shrugged.  “Sounds like something he would do, if I’m being honest,” she responded.

Qui-Gon hummed in agreement.  “Tell me something, now,” he proposed.  “Why did Dooku leave the Order?” 

She sighed.  “I don’t really know much about that,” she admitted.  “Some say that he just…stopped believing in the Jedi, in the Republic,” Ahsoka murmured, “Others say that…”

“That what?” Qui-Gon pressed.

She blinked and shifted slightly so that her eyes met his.  “That your death was the catalyst that caused him to leave,” she whispered.

Qui-Gon barely had time to even process what Obi-Wan told him about his death.  Obi-Wan’s collapse and quick re-admittance into the Healer’s Ward came too quickly after that.  Now that he _knew_ , Qui-Gon didn’t know how to feel about everything Obi-Wan and Anakin had been through in such a short amount of time.  And _now_ , they were fighting a war, a war of corruption, so saturated by darkness.  A war that should not exist.

“I need to meet him,” Qui-Gon said finally, after a stretch of silence.

“Are you sure?” Ahsoka asked, frowning.  “He’s a _Sith_ , Master Qui-Gon.  You know that once someone Falls, it’s impossible to bring them back from the Dark Side,” she continued.  “That’s what a lot of the Masters say, at least.”

“Impossible is a strong word, padawan,” Qui-Gon responded.  He shifted slightly to look at the large waterfall in front of them.

“You haven’t _seen_ him, Master.”  Ahsoka’s voice quieter now.  “When the war began, he tried to kill Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi.  He almost succeeded.”  She sighed.  “I know he was your master once, but that man is gone.”

Qui-Gon shook his head and looked at the Togruta again, expression severe.  “He’s not _gone_ , Ahsoka.  He may not be a Jedi anymore, but he’s not gone.”

* * *

“Master Che agrees with you,” Obi-Wan explained as soon as Qui-Gon walked in that evening.  Obi-Wan was sitting up more properly now as Vokara Che rested a hand on his shoulder, examining him with the Force.

Qui-Gon frowned.  “About what?”

“The bond,” the healer answered, opening her eyes and looking at him.  “The bond was active at the time of your death, so when it broke, the damage could have worsened on Zigoola.  Perhaps repairing the damage from the breaking of the Force bond will reduce Obi-Wan’s symptoms.”

“Oh,” Qui-Gon responded.  “But how would we do it?”  This certainly was a unique situation, to say the least.  As far as he knew, a previously active Force bond separated by death had never been reconstructed before.

“It probably is similar to creating a new Force bond,” Vokara surmised.  “Wherever you can feel the bond in your minds, slowly bring the strands together and let them rebuild.”

“I’m willing to try it,” Obi-Wan said.  “This situation is getting rather…frustrating.  I’d like to be able to think properly,” he continued.  “And sleep.  And eat.”  He frowned at that and pressed a few fingers to his forehead with a grimace.

Qui-Gon nodded.

In a few minutes, he was seated on a chair besides Obi-Wan’s bed, ready to dive deep into the Force.  He leaned forward and rested his hand on Obi-Wan’s arm, careful not to jostle any of the IVs.  “Are you ready?” Qui-Gon asked, voice even.

“Yes, Master,” Obi-Wan answered immediately, sounding exactly like the padawan he left behind on Naboo.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  He reached into the Force for his Force bond with Obi-Wan, this time taking one of the broken strands and pulling it into the abyss.  He dimly heard someone suck in a breath.

He stretched further, feeling his own mind shudder against the phantom pain.  He was surrounded by darkness, holding onto a single strand, not even remembering _why_ now.  All he knew that he had to hold onto this strand.  There was no choice.

Another strand came towards him from the side opposite to him, and he pulled his _just a bit_ forward, allowing the two strands to touch.  They merged together, forming one long, thin, line.

_Obi-Wan?_ he thought, wondering if it worked.  That’s when he felt it.  Zigoola had terribly damaged Obi-Wan’s side of the Force bond.  He could distantly feel _pain_ resonating along the strands of the bond, originating at deep, gaping wounds from Obi-Wan’s side.  Instinctively, Qui-Gon pushed healing energy into the bond, brought more strands forward to thicken the bond.  The Force _sang_ now in his mind; everything was beginning to feel so right.  The bond glowed in the darkness now, a bright golden light, and Qui-Gon realized that his own mind felt more complete now.  It was as though he was missing _something_ , but he didn’t notice until after it came back again.

Once he was done, Qui-Gon pulled himself out of the meditation and opened his eyes.

“Master Jinn.”

Vokara Che was standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder.  She handed him a glass of water.  He drank gratefully, distantly wondering why his throat was so dry now.  Obi-Wan’s eyes were closed, features slack.  Qui-Gon reached into the Force slowly, and discovered, to his pleasant surprise, that the Force bond was now intact.  Eventually he and Obi-Wan would have to place natural shields and protections on the bond, but the fact that it _existed_ now was…relieving.

“He’s asleep,” Qui-Gon said once he took a few more sips of water.

Master Che nodded, her features blank.  “You both were in there for almost an hour,” she commented.  “Go back to your apartment for now; I’ll let you know how he’s doing tomorrow,” she said gently.

Qui-Gon was tempted to refuse, but he felt exhaustion seeping into his bones, the lull of sleep calling to him.  He nodded in acquiescence and stood to leave.  There was nothing he could do now besides wait.

* * *

The apartment door opened.  Anakin, sitting at the kitchen table, looked up from his datapad, eyebrows raised.

Qui-Gon walked in, glanced around his surroundings, and blinked.  “I’m sorry, Anakin,” he murmured.  “I keep forgetting this isn’t my apartment now.”

This was the third time that Qui-Gon walked right in to the apartment before realizing that he no longer lived there.  After Master Qui-Gon’s death on Naboo, Obi-Wan decided to remain in the same apartment and had Anakin move in to his old room while he used Master Qui-Gon’s old room.  Since his Knighting, Anakin didn’t have time to move out due to the war, and they rarely were at the Temple anyways.  Ahsoka didn’t mind sleeping on the couch or taking Anakin’s bed when he wasn’t there (which was pretty often).  It was a good arrangement, but there wasn’t room for anyone else, which was why Master Qui-Gon was given a different apartment now.

Anakin shrugged.  “It’s fine; you’re always welcome here, Master,” he said.  Seeing Qui-Gon in his apartment was…weird.  He remembered when he first arrived at the Temple, before Naboo and spending a night in this very apartment.  It looked drastically different back then, but seeing Master Qui-Gon now reminded him of the past in was he never expected.

Qui-Gon nodded.

“How’s Obi-Wan?” Anakin asked, eyes focused on his datapad.  Since Obi-Wan was basically out of commission, the Council divided whatever work he had amongst some of the Masters and Knights, including Anakin.  Which now meant that Anakin had a few more mission reports to submit and had to create work schedules for both the 501st and the 212nd, which was extremely tedious.

“We managed to rebuild our Force bond,” Qui-Gon answered, sitting down across from Anakin.  “We’ll have to see if that helps tomorrow.”

Anakin nodded.  “That’s good,” he murmured.

Qui-Gon frowned.  “Are you still upset about…?”

“About Obi-Wan kicking me out before telling you about your death?” Anakin surmised, putting the datapad on the kitchen table and leaning back on his chair.  Qui-Gon nodded.  Anakin deflated, shoulders dropping.  “I think I realize it was a conversation you both needed to have,” he mumbled.

“The Council was concerned about your anger when I first brought you here,” Qui-Gon mused, thinking back to a few days ago when he first presented Anakin to the Council.

Anakin shrugged.  “Obi-Wan tried to train it out of me, but it never worked.  I’m not a perfect Jedi,” he admitted.

Qui-Gon snorted.  “Who is?” he asked sarcastically, shifting slightly in his chair.

Anakin paused.  “Obi-Wan…”

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows and then _laughed_.  “He certainly tries, Anakin, but Obi-Wan is not even close to perfect,” he explained, voice light.  “Do you see what he did to himself?  By Jedi philosophy, a Jedi must know his limits.  I’m sure he explained that to you before.”

Anakin nodded.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and looked at Anakin directly in the eyes.  “Then tell me what’s going on with you,” he said softly, voice deep.

Anakin frowned.  There was no way Master Qui-Gon could figure it out, not when he was so _careful_ … “Okay,” he mumbled.  Anakin took a deep breath and began to talk.  “I broke the Jedi Code,” he admitted.

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow.  “Go on,” he urged.

Anakin froze.  Part of him really wanted to tell Master Qui-Gon _everything_ , everything from his marriage to the deep, rolling darkness in his gut that drove him to genocide once before.  Qui-Gon was the father that he always _wanted_ , and now, to realize that he wants to _help him_ means…everything.  He took a deep breath and spoke.

“I’m married.”

“Oh.”  Qui-Gon looked as though he was expecting him to say something else.  Anakin couldn’t tell him what happened on Tatooine right after his mother’s death; he would tell Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan would tell the Council and then he would be kicked out of the Order, and there’s no way he could leave now, not with the war and Ahsoka and Obi-Wan…And he couldn’t bear to see the look of disappointment in Master Qui-Gon’s eyes.

“The Code does say that a Jedi should not form attachments, Anakin,” Qui-Gon continued, voice quiet.  “It is difficult, however, since it is in our _nature_ as sentient beings to latch onto the things that make us happy,” he murmured.  “As long as you don’t allow this to get in the way of your ability to perform as a Jedi, it should be fine.”

Anakin frowned.  Qui-Gon was…okay with it?  “I…you remember Padmé, right?”

“The Queen?”

Anakin laughed lightly, leaning back in his chair.  “She’s actually a Senator from Naboo now,” he answered.

Qui-Gon smiled.  “I can see that you love her deeply, Anakin,” he admitted.  He found himself thinking about Tahl, remembering how _happy_ she made him feel.  But her death was…horrendous and heartbreaking all at once.  He _hoped_ that such a fate would never come to Anakin and Padmé.  “You even did when you first met her, if I remember correctly,” he realized, thinking back to a few days ago, when they first met in Watto’s shop.

Anakin flushed, remembering the very first words he said to Padmé when he first saw her.  _Are you an angel?_   “Just…don’t tell Obi-Wan, Master Qui-Gon,” he murmured.  “He’s on the _Council_ ; he would tell them right away, and then…”

_Would_ Obi-Wan actually do that? Qui-Gon wondered, thinking of how he’d observed his former padawan, twelve years later.  “Anakin…” he said finally.  “Keeping secrets is not...it never ends well.  You must tell him about this, and anything else you’ve been hiding.”

Anakin felt another pang in his stomach.  The Tuskens were…a _mistake_ , nothing more.  He shrugged carefully in response, trying to force his expression into one of cool indifference.

“As for the Council, you don’t have to worry about me telling them,” Qui-Gon continued, as though he didn’t notice Anakin’s response.  “My lips are sealed in that context.”

“Thanks, Master,” Anakin smiled before picking up the datapad again.

* * *

“Lord Sidious.”  Count Dooku knelt in front of the hologram, eyes fastened to the floor.

_“Tyrannus,”_ his Master rasped, voice sounding like a single needle scratching against a datapad screen.  _“There was a great disturbance in the Force.  Did you feel it, my apprentice?”_

Dooku nodded.  Something happened, something that may change the tide in the war, but he couldn’t tell if it was for the better or for the worse.  “I felt it, Master,” he answered.  “I believe a new player has entered the game.”

Sidious’ lips pressed into a grin.  _“See to it that you discover what the source of that disturbance was, Tyrannus.  I will not have anything interfering with our plans,”_ he commanded.

Dooku bowed deeply.  “Yes, Master.”

Sidious’ images flickered out and Dooku stood in a single fluid motion, staring straight ahead, out of the window into Serenno’s vast lands.

“The Jedi know something,” he murmured to himself.  “I must find out what it is before Sidious does.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So unfortunately, chapter updates will be a bit slower from here on out because I'm going back to college soon. I would like to update every other week at least, but I won't be sure about that until the semester starts. Either way, I can tentatively say that the next chapter will be up two weeks from today, September 5th!


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qui-Gon discovers more, which leads to some unintended consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Force Friday! Thank you to everyone who read, commented, left kudos, subscribed, and bookmarked! There's some important info at the end-notes, so please be sure to read that. Enjoy! :)

Anakin sighed and rubbed at his eyes.  Rex sent him some information regarding new clone intelligence on what may be Dooku’s location.  Usually information like this was difficult to come by, but somehow, with barely any effort on his part, the information almost fell into his lap, and now he doesn’t know what to do with it.  At this point, Obi-Wan would usually send him in the right direction, _show him_ what he could do about it.  But now he couldn’t and wouldn’t.  Anakin was completely on his own.

There was no indication that the coordinates were even accurate.  Rex mentioned to him that it could very well be a trap, and after thinking some more, Anakin agreed.  But, on the other hand, part of him itched to go with the 501st to investigate.  The Council (excluding Obi-Wan) was still debating on what to do, but even they seemed at a loss.

Finally, Anakin set aside the datapad and stood up, stretching slightly.  He never really enjoyed sitting for long periods of time; it made him feel all stiff and anxious from the physical inactivity.  He wished Ahsoka wasn’t in class right now, but she was extremely behind with all her assignments and a lot of her instructors were getting concerned.

The door opened.  Anakin turned, surprised.  Master Qui-Gon left earlier in the morning to visit Obi-Wan and then meditate and Ahsoka’s classes wouldn’t be over for at least another hour.

“Bant?” Anakin asked surprised, then looked to her side.  Obi-Wan stood beside her, hand gripping her sleeve, almost for support.  His face was flushed, shoulders hunched slightly with wavering stability.  “Master?” he whispered before coming to Obi-Wan’s other side.  Bant and Anakin slowly guided Obi-Wan to a nearby chair.

Bant knelt next to Obi-Wan, who released a slow breath and finally looked up at Anakin.  “You look more tired than I feel,” Obi-Wan commented finally, voice hoarse.  Anakin blinked in surprise.  He heard Qui-Gon say, multiple times, that Obi-Wan was doing better, but it would take him a lot of time to recover fully.

“Don’t worry about me,” Anakin responded.  Sure, he was tired, but it wasn’t the terrible exhaustion he felt from Obi-Wan’s side of their Force bond at times.  In fact, it was nothing compared to the exhaustion he knew was leaking through Obi-Wan’s shields right at this moment.  “I just have some information to sort through that Rex sent me, but it’s not that important,” he continued when Obi-Wan frowned at him.

“Good,” Obi-Wan answered, then _yawned_.  Anakin raised his eyebrows, surprised.  Obi-Wan was usually never this open about how he felt in a given moment.

Bant chuckled.  “Alright, let’s get you into bed so you can sleep,” she chuckled before standing smoothly.  Obi-Wan stood slowly, wavering slightly until Anakin reached forward and wrapped his arm around his shoulders to provide support.  Obi-Wan emanated an almost feverish warmth and his skin was somewhat clammy, Anakin realized.  He didn’t understand why or how he was able to leave the Halls in the first place.

With Bant’s help, Anakin was able to guide Obi-Wan into his room and to his bed.  Obi-Wan fell asleep moments after his head hit the pillow, his features immediately relaxing and making him look so much younger.  Anakin watched him for a moment (he’s rarely ever seen Obi-Wan look so peaceful) before turning and following Bant out of the room.

“I thought he would be staying in the Halls for a while,” Anakin said once they were both in the living room.

“All he really needs at this point is a lot of sleep, proper food, and meditation,” Bant explained.  “Reconstructing the Force bond with Qui-Gon healed most of the damage from Zigoola, but it will take time for Obi-Wan to regain his energy and for him to recover.  He’s going to be very tired for the next few days, and will probably sleep a lot.  Don’t let him overexert himself, and he should be fine.”

Anakin nodded.  Sounded easy enough.

“Oh, and here.”  Bant handed him a small box.  “There’s pain medication in there for the migraines, just in case.  If they do come back, we need to know right away.  He’s running a slight fever now, but if it gets worse there’s something in there for that.  And for nausea.”

“Okay,” Anakin responded.  He didn’t exactly have time, per se, to take care of Obi-Wan right now, but if he was going to be sleeping most of the time, there shouldn’t be much of a problem.  And Qui-Gon would probably be heavily involved with helping Obi-Wan too.

“If anything happens, you need to let Master Che or myself know right away, Anakin,” Bant said before turning slightly towards Obi-Wan’s door.  “I think we all knew this was coming, but Obi-Wan is very good at pretending he’s fine, and we just…I just…”

Anakin sighed.  “I know,” he murmured, eyes downcast.

Bant smiled slightly.  “Thank you, Anakin,” she said before standing up.  “I must head back to the Halls now.”

* * *

Qui-Gon knocked on the door of his old apartment before stepping inside, easily sensing Anakin through the front door.  He could tell that Obi-Wan was inside too, though the new bond he had with him told him that he was deeply asleep (thankfully).  Sure enough, Anakin sat alone at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of caf.

“Master!” he exclaimed, surprised.  “I didn’t know you were coming; I would have made you tea or something,” he stammered.  It seemed as though he was slightly nervous around him because of their last conversation, Qui-Gon noted.

“It’s fine,” Qui-Gon answered, moving to sit across from him.

“Obi-Wan’s still sleeping; I checked about ten minutes ago,” Anakin commented.  “He’s been asleep for about two hours now; I don’t think I’ve ever seen him sleep during the day, so it’s… _weird_.”

“He was like that as a Padawan, too,” Qui-Gon chuckled.  “I didn’t mind catching a nap sometimes during the day, but Obi-Wan only slept during the night, and usually not for that long.”

Anakin’s commlink beeped and he looked at it and sighed.  “I have to meet with the Chancellor,” he said.  “He says it’s important.  I hate to leave you alone here, but I think Ahsoka went to meet Barriss; she should be back here soon.”  He spoke quickly before downing the rest of his caf and standing up in a flurry of black robes.

“That’s fine, Ani,” Qui-Gon answered before standing up.  He wondered briefly why Anakin would be meeting with the Chancellor of all people, but it probably had to do with the war or something.  “I’ll just make some tea and keep an eye on Obi-Wan.” 

Anakin nodded before putting on his robe and walking over to the front door.  “I’ll see you later, Master,” he said before leaving the apartment.

And with that, Qui-Gon was alone in his old apartment.  Obi-Wan had redecorated over the years, but some things remained the same, including the couch and the kitchen table.  Some furniture was moved around and one of the coffee tables in the living room was covered completely with droid parts.

Qui-Gon finished making his tea and sat down at the kitchen table, drinking slowly.  He was pleasantly surprised to see that Obi-Wan still kept sapir after all these years, even though he didn’t like it much as a padawan.  It felt great to indulge in some well-brewed sapir tea after what felt like a long week (though it was quite a bit more than a week in reality).

Anakin’s datapad sat on the table, just a few inches away from his hand.  The Force whispered to him as he looked at it, so Qui-Gon pulled it to him and quickly unlocked it.  He took another sip of the tea before looking at the document that was already open.  Right at the top of the screen was a set of coordinates.  He frowned.

“Why is this so important?” he wondered out loud.  He scanned the document carefully, and then he realized.  These coordinates might be, according to the document, Dooku’s location.  The Force whispered louder now; he knew what he had to do, before he was caught.  He had to borrow a ship from one of the hangars, before anyone realized what he was going to do.  The Force spoke to him with finality, which meant he had to act _now_.  The Force was insistent.

Qui-Gon sprang to his feet and raced to the door, leaving the half-empty mug of tea right next to the datapad on the kitchen table.

* * *

“My boy, it’s certainly been a while since I’ve last seen you,” Palpatine said when Anakin entered his office.  “I am glad to see you well.”

Anakin smiled gratefully and sat down across from Palpatine.  “Thank you, Chancellor.  It is good to see you, too,” he responded.  “I would have come by earlier, but a lot has happened in the past few weeks, so I’ve been pretty busy since I returned from Ryloth.”

“Ah, yes, I’ve heard about Master Kenobi,” Palpatine said gently, voice dripping with concern.  “How is he?  From what I understand, he’s been unwell for a while?”

Anakin frowned.  “Sort of, but the Council didn’t pull him out of the war until a few days ago.  He’s getting better now, but it’s a slow process, according to the healers,” he explained, looking briefly behind the Chancellor at Coruscant’s traffic.

Palpatine nodded.  “And this has to do with Zigoola, does it not?” he asked quietly.  “Do you know what happened there?”

Anakin frowned.  It’s been months since it happened, and Obi-Wan still refused to talk about it, and Senator Organa refused to say anything out of respect for Obi-Wan.  “No,” he said finally.  Even now, with Master Qui-Gon here, Obi-Wan never _said anything_.  He never talked about what was important, like Zigoola, or what he told Master Qui-Gon about his duel with the Sith and Master Qui-Gon’s death, before he was admitted to the Healer’s Ward.

“I see,” Palpatine responded, face completely neutral.  “I’m sorry to hear that, my boy.  I’m sure that Master Kenobi would know better than to hide things from you; it must be something else.”  He smiled, and Anakin grudgingly smiled back, still feeling icy cold anger burning in the pit of his stomach.  The truth was that it _wasn’t_ something else; Obi-Wan just doesn’t want Anakin to know about Zigoola or anything.  Obi-Wan didn’t think Anakin deserved to know…that was the truth.  Anakin ached to say it aloud, but he bit the words back, letting the older man speak.  “Is there anything else?” Palpatine asked, interrupting Anakin’s thoughts.

Anakin itched to tell him about Qui-Gon’s return, about how everything could and will _change_ now because of it.  He pursed his lips, deep in thought.  “We…the Jedi, I mean, have experienced something very unusual,” he said finally.  “Once we understand it more, I can tell you the details, but it may help us shift the tides of the war in our favor.”

Palpatine frowned.  “I’m not sure having a surprise sprung onto us will benefit the Republic, Anakin, but I will choose to trust your judgement,” he said finally.  “But, whatever it is that is happening, I would like to know as soon as possible, and I trust that you will tell me once you feel ready.”

Anakin nodded.  “Thank you, Chancellor.”

Palpatine smiled.  “I only wish that this war would end soon, my boy.  The Senate may  not appreciate the Jedi keeping secrets from them, but if it truly is for the benefit of the Republic, I will trust your judgement,” he explained, steepling his fingers and looking at him severely.

The cold anger in his stomach swiftly changed into guilt.  “I’m…sorry, Chancellor.  It’s a bit of a long story, but I’ll tell you.  Just…if the Senate finds out, there might be an uproar, and I don’t think the Jedi are prepared for dealing with that along with the war,” he admitted.

“When I was on Ryloth, I…encountered another Jedi,” Anakin explained, fingers knotted tightly in his sleeves.  “A Jedi who died over a decade ago.  He was brought here before his death through time travel, though we don’t completely understand how yet.  There’s a chance that with his presence, we may be able to end this war.”

Palpatine’s eyebrows were now raised in surprise.  “Time travel?” he asked, eyes glinting.  “Are you…quite sure, Anakin?  I’ve done a lot of reading throughout my life about…the supernatural, the things that most people would not believe, but I’ve never heard of any record of time travel in all my readings,” he stated, eyebrows now pressed into a frown.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Anakin answered shortly.

“And who is the Jedi, if I may ask?  The one who has returned, so to speak?”

“It’s…Master Qui-Gon, Chancellor,” Anakin responded.

Palpatine looked stunned for a brief moment before his features shifted into a placid calmness.  “Well, that’s certainly…surprising,” he said.  “I trust you will use his presence to your advantage, my boy, and I trust that will help the Republic as well.”

“It will,” Anakin assured him.  “I know it will.”

* * *

Ahsoka sighed.  Doing homework was literally one of the worst things ever.  She’d rather be doing just about anything else right now, if she was being honest.  Anakin sent her a message an hour ago saying that he was meeting with the Chancellor, so she was alone in the living room, though she knew that Master Kenobi was sleeping in his bedroom.  Or, at least, he should be.  She thought of checking a few times since she came back, but the thought of disturbing Obi-Wan from his sleep was too horrendous for her to actually do it.

Even though Anakin enjoyed mathematics and engineering, Ahsoka found it excruciatingly annoying.  She secretly hoped that she would be shipped out somehow before the next class so she wouldn’t have to submit this homework assignment.  She was pretty sure that she wasn’t getting any questions right.

Ahsoka jumped at the sound of a door opening, and looked up to see Obi-Wan move slowly out of his room

“Master!” she exclaimed in surprise.  He walked into the living room, rubbing at his eyes blearily.  Master Che was certain that Master Kenobi would be asleep for a full eight hours, but he was awake now, five hours earlier than expected.

Obi-Wan pulled his hand away from his face, revealing a slight pallor to his skin, but not like how it was before.  “Ahsoka,” he murmured.  His voice was thick with sleep, almost impossible for her to understand, as though he just woke up and stepped out of the room.  There was also the fact that his hair was sticking up in a few different directions and he was blinking very slowly, probably to clear his vision.

She leapt out of her chair and moved quickly to him, grabbing his right arm and pulling him to the couch, despite his feeble protests.  He sat finally and blinked up at her, eyes clouded.

“Do you want anything?” she asked.  “Tea, caf, food?”

He blinked and his eyebrows furrowed, almost in confusion.  It seemed like he still wasn’t completely awake yet, but Ahsoka didn’t comment.  “Where’s Qui-Gon?” he asked finally, ignoring her question.  She didn’t mind, though; it was clear that he was still half-asleep.  “The bond, it feels…it feels like he’s far away,” he continued, looking around the room as though he expected Master Qui-Gon to be hiding somewhere in the apartment.

“I’m guessing he’s at his apartment,” Ahsoka answered.  “Do you want me to comm him?”

When Obi-Wan gave a short nod, she moved to the comm-board by the entrance of the apartment and quickly dialed Qui-Gon’s apartment number.  She frowned.  “No response, that’s strange,” she mused.

“Wait.”  Obi-Wan’s voice was clearer now.  “He’s very far, Ahsoka.  Not in his apartment.  I don’t even think he’s at the Temple right now, which isn’t…”  He trailed off and stood, walking quickly to the kitchen table, where Anakin left his datapad.  There was a mug sitting next to the datapad.  Obi-Wan lifted the mug and studied its contents before putting it back down and picking up the datapad next.  He flicked through it quickly, eyes scanning.  “No,” he mumbled, before setting the datapad down again and sitting down heavily on the kitchen chair next to him.

“What’s wrong?” she asked once he covered both eyes with his hands.

“Qui-Gon is going after Dooku,” he answered after a few moments, voice muffled.  Ahsoka blinked, stunned.  To go after a Sith Lord on your own, with no backup was practically suicide.  What would cause Master Qui-Gon to…she thought back to her conversation with him in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.  _“He may not be a Jedi anymore, but he’s not gone,”_ Qui-Gon said at the time. 

“Oh,” she mumbled.  She should have _known_.  It was obvious that Master Qui-Gon would try to find Dooku, despite knowing that it wouldn’t be the smartest thing for him to do.

Obi-Wan stood again.  “I’m going after him,” he said.  All signs of his exhaustion were somehow _gone_ , though she had no idea how.

Ahsoka’s eyes widened.  “But…you’re not supposed to even leave the apartment, and Master Che and Bant and Anakin would not…” she struggled to finish her sentence, following Obi-Wan as he moved quickly to his bedroom door. 

“Master Qui-Gon doesn’t understand what he’s getting himself into,” he explained.  She followed him into his room as he quickly packed a travel bag and began to pull out his armor and gloves.  “We don’t have _time_ to go to the Council for this, Ahsoka.” 

“But…you’re not…I mean, Master, you just left the Healer’s earlier today; you’re not well,” she said.

Obi-Wan paused mid-movement, then deflated.  “I am going, regardless of that,” he said, then looked up at her.  “He is my Master,” he continued simply.  “You may choose to come with me and help me, or stay behind.  But I’m going.”

She sighed.  Anakin was going to be so _upset_.  But she had no choice.  There was no way she could let Master Kenobi go off on his own.  “I’ll go with you,” she said, wondering if she was about to walk into yet another trap.

* * *

“Snips, I’m home!” Anakin called as he opened the door and walked in.  He looked around, surprised.  The apartment was empty.  “Obi-Wan?” he called, voice quieter.  Both his master’s and his padawan’s Force presences felt far away, which made no sense.  Ahsoka should have returned hours ago, and Obi-Wan should not even be leaving the apartment yet.  “Where is everyone?” he wondered.  _And why didn’t Master Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, or Ahsoka tell me they were going anywhere?_

It wasn’t fair.  He assumed that they were his friends, at least, but none of them ever told him anything.  He didn’t expect Master Qui-Gon to keep things from him, especially when Anakin already told him about his marriage, but it was clear that it was happening anyways.  Anakin quickly dialed Ahsoka’s comm number, got no response, and then dialed Obi-Wan’s.  Obi-Wan _always_ answered, but this time he didn’t.  Qui-Gon still didn’t have his own comm, so Anakin couldn’t exactly try contacting him directly.

He sighed in frustration and walked into the kitchen.  An empty mug of cold tea sat at the table.  Anakin remembered that Qui-Gon said he was going to make himself a cup of tea, but why didn’t he finish drinking it?  Did something happen?  Bant _did_ say to contact her or the Healers if anything happened to Obi-Wan…did he have a relapse?  No, if he did, it wouldn’t feel like they were far away, outside of the Temple.  Anakin realized distantly that the bag of medicine that Bant gave him earlier remained at the counter where he left it.  No one even knew about it except him.

Anakin looked down at the table again.  Something wasn’t right.  Something was… _missing_.  And then it hit him.  “Where’s my datapad?” he wondered.  He left it right on the table.  Losing it would probably be one of the worst things to happen right at the moment.  “ _No_ ,” he mumbled, running his hands through his hair.  “They went after Dooku.”

Why the kriff wouldn’t they include him in this plan?  Going after Dooku without the Council’s approval sounded like something _Anakin_ would do, but they left without even telling him.  A cold rush of anger exploded within him, and he picked up the mug and threw it against the nearby wall before turning around sharply and leaving the apartment.  There was little time to waste.

* * *

“Okay,” Ahsoka announced as she put the _Twilight_ into hyperspace.  She looked sideways at Obi-Wan, whose face was a bit paler than before.  His right hand gripped the armrest of his chair tightly as he stared at the hyperspace lines, deep in thought.  She swallowed down her nerves and spoke again.  “It’ll take us about eight hours, Master.  Maybe you should get some sleep?” she suggested.

Obi-Wan smirked slightly, probably sensing her apprehension before nodding and standing up.  “Let me know if you need anything,” he said.  “And wake me up about ten minutes before we arrive.”

“Sure,” she said with a quick nod.  Once he left the cockpit, she sighed and leaned back in her chair.  _What has she gotten herself into?_

* * *

Qui-Gon Jinn sat alone on the floor of a small, _borrowed_ freighter.  He took a slow, deep breath and closed his eyes, gathering the Force to him gently.  The Force was with him.  No matter what happened when he arrived at the coordinates that he found.  Hopefully Master Dooku would be there and he could finally discover the truth.  Hopefully…

There had to be a reason why Dooku would join the Sith.  Leaving the Jedi was one thing, and Qui-Gon understood wanting to leave the Order, having witnessed two of his three padawans leave (though Obi-Wan returned soon after Melida/Daan and the death of Cerasi), as well as some of his friends who were previously in the Order.  Why would Dooku leave after his death, when he knew that Obi-Wan and Anakin were alone?  That Obi-Wan had to make the transition into Knighthood without any guidance from his master? 

Whatever the reason was, it had to be important, Qui-Gon decided.  There was no way Dooku could be a Sith; perhaps he had a long-term plan in motion that would lead to the balancing of the Force, that would help Anakin fulfil his destiny.  Dooku was…he never saw Dooku as a man who would maim or kill, as the Sith do, but if Anakin’s mech hand was _truly_ Dooku’s doing…

Either way, Qui-Gon needed answers, and the best way to get answers from someone was to ask them directly, regardless of the consequences.  He would do what he must.

Qui-Gon inhaled deeply, delving himself further into the arms of the Living Force.

* * *

“They’re gone, Master,” Anakin explained as he followed Master Windu.  “I believe they found the coordinates on my datapad and are heading there as we speak.”

Master Windu stopped walking and turned around to face Anakin.  His face was bright thunder flashing in Coruscant’s night sky.  “Are you telling me, Knight Skywalker, that Qui-Gon Jinn, who is _not_ from this time and does not completely understand the complexities of this war, went off to find Count Dooku?  And Obi-Wan, who has medical restrictions that are supposed to keep him Temple-bound, and your padawan, who is _your_ responsibility, both went with him?  Is that what you’re telling me, Skywalker?”  He spoke slowly and precisely, eyebrows creased into a frown.

Anakin felt his blood freeze in his veins, but he kept his face carefully neutral as he nodded.  “It appears to be that way,” he answered.  “They’re going to walk straight into a trap.  I commed Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, but neither are replying,” he continued.

Master Windu exhaled harshly, nostrils flaring slightly.  “I didn’t expect this kind of…stupidity from Obi-Wan…” he muttered.  “Qui-Gon maybe, though I’ll admit that the time since his passing had put him in a kinder light than we remembered him to be.”  The Korun sighed before turning to Anakin fully.  “You and I will launch an attack with the 501st, 212th, and the 187th.  Hopefully that will allow them enough time to escape.  We need to leave as soon as possible.”

Anakin nodded, his face quickly shifting into one of cold determination.  Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka had a _lot_ of explaining to do.

* * *

The trap is set, Dooku thought grimly before sitting down on his chair.  He was on his new flagship, which currently sat in the Inner Rim, a few lightyears away from Onderan.  He purposely leaked his coordinates to the Republic, in hopes of discovering the secret the Jedi held.  Something _important_ has happened within the Force; that was certainly obvious.  Now he only had to wait, and Dooku was a very patient man.  It was only a matter of time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly building up to a lot of stuff that will happen in the next chapter, so I'm really excited to have the plot moving along now :)
> 
> With that being said, I got all the information for my classes this semester, and...it's a lot. Updates on this story will be sporadic for the next few months, simply because I didn't do very well last semester and I need to focus on doing better on this one. I will try my best to update within the next few weeks. Thank you so much for being awesome; I really appreciate all the feedback this story has been getting.
> 
> (Also, I'm terrible at coming up with names in general, so for anyone who can come up with a name for Dooku's flagship I will use that for the next chapter and give credit! Thanks!)


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master and Padawan reunite after many years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for supporting this story! You guys are all amazing. Here's the next chapter, enjoy!

The moment was coming.  Darth Sidious leaned back in his chair, legs crossed.  Now that he knew that the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn has traveled to this time, he needed to decide how to turn that into an advantage. 

He was Tyrannus’ former apprentice, and although Jinn wasn’t exactly a _typical_ Jedi, he wouldn’t be turned to their cause.  He would have to be eliminated, eventually.  But perhaps…Sidious would wait.  He knew that Tyrannus leaked his coordinates to the Jedi, and that Jinn was on the way there, which meant the other Jedi would soon follow.  So for now, Sidious would wait and see what happens.  Tyrannus will most likely discover the truth, but the true question was how he would respond to Jinn’s presence.

Sidious needed to be prepared for the worst, which meant that he needed to prepare for a new apprentice very soon.  But for now, he would wait.

And then he would strike.

* * *

Qui-Gon landed the ship gently in a small hangar that was mostly empty.  He was amazed when he was able to slip into the interior of the huge flagship he found upon his arrival at the coordinates that were on Anakin’s datapad.  He expected more resistance, but it was almost as though he was allowed entry.  All of this seemed a little too easy right now.  Perhaps the Force was truly with him; it continued to urge him onwards.  To Master Dooku.  

Once he left the ship and glanced around for any droids or life forms, he pressed onwards.  He moved slowly, listening for the sound of droids as he carefully shielded his Force presence.  He would rather find Dooku without being caught by whoever or whatever else was on this ship, but it was difficult. Qui-Gon was only one man, one individual in a massive ship that was practically filled with life, both mechanical and organic.  The last time he was on a mission _alone_ was probably before Obi-Wan became his padawan, which, in his eyes, was over a decade ago.  Add that to the fact that Qui-Gon was in the future, with more advanced technologies and a galaxy-wide _war_ to boot, and well…Qui-Gon was operating well out of his league, if he was being honest.

He felt more out of place than usual, without anyone around to guide him, but he decided that the Force will be his guide now.  It will show him the way.  He closed his eyes and breathed slowly, reaching into the Force for his old Master.  Their Force bond had dissipated over time in the years after Qui-Gon’s Knighting, so his movement into this time did nothing to change the bond (or lack thereof) that he had with Dooku.

The coordinates rang true.  Dooku was here, somewhere on this flagship.  Now all Qui-Gon had to do was find him and track him down without being caught.  Getting caught would simply waste more time, and time was a luxury that he couldn’t afford to lose now.

* * *

“Master, we’re here.”

Obi-Wan blinked up at Ahsoka, who stared down at him with open concern in her eyes.

“Give me a minute,” he murmured.  His voice sounded thick to his own ears, barely recognizable.  Ahsoka stepped out of the room and he sat up slowly, rubbing at his eyes.  He felt like he could sleep for much longer; he was constantly waking up throughout the hyperspace journey, so he felt just as tired as he did when the journey began.  His limbs felt like lead and there were the beginnings of a slight headache forming behind his eyes. 

Anakin was still at the Temple, but there was no way of knowing if he figured out where they were going yet.  The Council probably would contact him soon, if they haven’t already, but Obi-Wan turned off his commlink as soon as he got on the ship.  He couldn’t deal with the Council, Anakin, _and_ Master Che getting on his case about leaving the Temple when he wasn’t supposed to.  He would face the consequences was he found Qui-Gon and brought him back to the Temple.  Qui-Gon was most likely walking directly into a trap; there was little time to waste.

He swung his legs over the bunk, took a deep breath, and stood, wavering slightly for a moment before he dusted himself off.  He slowly gathered his belongings before exiting the room.  Ahsoka looked up at him from examining her lightsaber, which she placed immediately on her belt.

“Let’s go,” he said, and they left the ship in solemn silence.  The hangar they landed in was mostly empty, but there was a small Republic freighter sitting a few yards away.

“That must be the ship Master Qui-Gon took,” Ahsoka whispered.  She sounded a bit surprised, as though she didn’t expect Qui-Gon to actually come to a heavily guarded Separatist flagship on his own just because of the Force’s will. 

“Yes, it must be,” Obi-Wan responded.  He quickly scanned the surrounding area with the Force before reaching for the new, yet achingly familiar bond he shared with Qui-Gon.  Qui-Gon had a lot of shields up; so he probably didn’t realize that Obi-Wan was nearby, but Obi-Wan could still track him down, once he had a general idea of where he was.  _There_.  Qui-Gon was most definitely on the ship, likely heading towards Dooku, judging by the Sith Lord’s definitive presence on this vessel.

“I sense Qui-Gon,” he murmured to Ahsoka, who nodded.  “We need to hurry before he finds Dooku.  He doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into.”

* * *

Qui-Gon stopped mid-stride.  Dooku’s presence was unusually difficult to track.  His Force presence felt… _cold_ and _slippery_.  Not quite like the Sith beast that he encountered on Tatooine, the one that would later take his own life on Naboo, but more…elusive.  There were aspects of his presence now that remained consistent with the Jedi Master he remembered, but there were other aspects that were…strikingly different.

Regardless, every few minutes, it would feel like Dooku would fade into the darkness of this ship, as though he was blending into his surroundings.  Qui-Gon paused and reached into the Force once again.

A sudden scream of warning from the Force, and he whirled around, barely igniting his lightsaber in time to block a blaster bolt that was about to strike him in the chest.  Five droids stood before him, but they were not droids of a design that he’s seen before.  The droids he was familiar with were not very difficult to handle, especially when their numbers were low, but these droids seemed advanced.  They moved with a speed and precision that was almost Jedi-like.

The droids quickly surrounded him in a circle, and he closed his eyes, gathering the Force mightily around him before he began to block.  The droids fired more rapidly than he expected, and within half a minute, he found himself flagging.  He managed to take down two droids before a single bolt slipped past his defenses and landed deep in his left shoulder, close to his armpit.  Qui-Gon went down instantly with a hoarse cry.  The pain was _intense_.  He couldn’t move his arm at all.

His vision was blurring too quickly for him to see the remaining three droids come up to him, though the heavy vibrations of their footfalls sent shockwaves directly to his shoulder.  One of them flipped him harshly over onto his back, and he found himself blinking into the ceiling’s lights, wheezing from the burning pain that shot down his left arm into his fingers.  Before he could react, something slammed into his head and the world turned black.

* * *

Ahsoka nearly crashed into Obi-Wan when he suddenly stopped walking in the middle of the hallway.  She looked up at him, slightly surprised.  “What happened?” she asked.

He turned towards her slowly, face pale.  Her stomach twisted into knots at the sight.  If something happened to Obi-Wan _now_ , Anakin would be even _more_ upset than he would be once he discovered where they went.  “Qui-Gon is…” He frowned slightly and then swallowed.  “Something’s wrong.  We need to hurry.”  His voice was clipped.  He set off even faster now, Ahsoka almost jogging to keep up.

* * *

 _“We have a prisoner.”_ The commando droid’s hologram flickered briefly, but its voice was clear.

Dooku frowned.  The Force remained stubbornly silent now.  “Who is it?” he asked.

The droid paused.  _“The prisoner’s appearance does not match anything in my databanks, Count Dooku,”_ it uttered finally. 

“What do you mean?” he asked.

_“It is a male adult human with a lightsaber.  There is not sufficient data for further classification.”_

Dooku released a long, slow breath.  While the new assassin droids he had were excellent fighters, they were difficult to command.  Frustration would not get him anywhere.  “Keep the prisoner in the cells for now.  I’m on the way there,” he commanded before shutting off the hologram and standing.

The Separatists had record of all adult Jedi, from junior padawans to Council Masters.  The prisoner most certainly was a Jedi, that much was clear, but why wasn’t he identifiable?  There _had_ to be a reason for all this.  Whoever this prisoner was, he was important, and Dooku fully intended to find out why.  The identity of this prisoner may relate to the secret of the Jedi and the Force disturbance from a few days ago.  He _needed_ to have the advantage.  He left the room, cape flowing behind him.

* * *

“How long, Rex?” Anakin asked, looking up from the holotable he was staring at.  They were on the _Resolute_ , having left about half an hour after Anakin spoke to Master Windu.  Anakin didn’t know exactly what to expect once they arrived at the coordinates, but he was pretty sure that a space battle would become inevitable.  According to the Archives, there were no planets very close to where they were going, but Anakin had a team ready for a ground assault just in case.

“Another half hour, General,” Rex answered.  Cody, standing slightly behind Rex, nodded in agreement.  It seemed that none of the 212th expected to be leaving Coruscant for at least a few days while Obi-Wan was sick, but when Anakin told the Commander what had happened, he was _furious_.  Apparently Cody knew that Obi-Wan was pushing himself to his limits and was glad that he had time to rest now.  Discovering that Obi-Wan went against the healer’s orders and restrictions surprised him completely.

Anakin nodded.  “Alright,” he acknowledged.  “Be prepared to help me extract Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Master Qui-Gon.  I don’t know what to expect once we arrive there, but I’ll keep you updated.”

“Yes, sir,” Cody answered, eyes bright.

Anakin smiled slightly at them before looking back down at the holotable.  He had to contact Master Windu, who was on the _Endurance_ , traveling alongside him to the same coordinates.  They had very little time now to come up with a plan.

* * *

Qui-Gon woke with a gasp, his right hand immediately coming up to grasp at his left shoulder.  The blaster wound _burned_ furiously and the pain spread into his chest as he sat up.  He breathed in slowly before looking down to examine it.  The cloth on his left shoulder was burned away completely, revealing a small hole that went through his shoulder.  Luckily, there was no blood, but the area surrounding the hole was inflamed and painful to look at and touch.

Qui-Gon quickly ripped a piece of his cloak off and went about wrapping the wound tightly.  The procedure was difficult with only one working hand, but it would do for now until he could find some bacta.

Next, he looked up to study his surroundings.  He was still on the ship, thankfully, but he must have been taken to a cell while he was unconscious.  Qui-Gon noted with dismay that his lightsaber was no longer on his belt.  The Force was urgent now, whispering to him harshly as he pulled himself to his feet.  The pain spiked for a brief moment, but he gritted his teeth, pressing his right hand to his left shoulder as he stumbled to the door of his cell.

Escape was a necessity in order to retrieve his lightsaber and to find Master Dooku.  He breathed slowly before gathering the Force around him in preparation.  There was little time to waste.

* * *

“I think I sense Dooku nearby,” Ahsoka admitted as they slipped into yet another hallway.

Obi-Wan blinked.  She was right.  Dooku was approaching rather quickly, and if he discovered Qui-Gon…Obi-Wan didn’t know what would happen.  Qui-Gon was upset to hear about Dooku’s Fall, but for him to see him in person…it was too big a of a risk, and it was too soon.  Qui-Gon only had just arrived, and there was no knowing if he would _stay_ in this time.

“Master?” she asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“I’ll keep Dooku busy,” he said automatically, mind reaching for Qui-Gon again.  It seemed he was awake now, though the pain thrumming along their bond from Qui-Gon’s side was concerning.  Qui-Gon had many shields up, which prevented Obi-Wan from sending a message or at least _something_ through their bond.  “Go find Qui-Gon, Ahsoka,” he said.

The Padawan’s eyes widened.  “But…”

“I can handle Dooku, Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan said emphatically.  The pounding in his head and the ache of his limbs said otherwise, but this hardly was the _time_ for such thoughts.  “Find Qui-Gon first, then comm me when you find him.  I’ll be fine,” he assured her.  The words hung in the air briefly, emptily.

Ahsoka’s eyes were bright with concern, speaking all the words she couldn’t say.  _Be careful_.  Then she nodded, eyes looking towards the ground.  “I’ll be quick, Master,” she mumbled before she turned.

“The Force will be with you, Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan responded.  She tilted her head slightly towards him before turning forward and running off.  Towards Qui-Gon and away from Dooku, away from the danger.

Obi-Wan breathed slowly, gathering the Force around him slowly.  It felt distant to him when the exhaustion was creeping up on him, like it was now.  After a few moments, it came to him, gently soothing the tiredness in his limbs, the sharp pain throbbing behind his eyes.  It would only be temporary, but it hopefully would be enough for what was coming.

The sound of footsteps interrupted his quick meditation and he turned around to face Dooku.

“Master Kenobi,” the Sith Lord greeted, brown eyes glinting in the hallway’s brightness.

“Count Dooku,” Obi-Wan responded, reaching for his lightsaber.

Count Dooku raised a single silver eyebrow, studying him carefully.  “What brings you to my ship?  Surely you have more important things to do than this,” he asked, voice mild.

Obi-Wan didn’t reply; he remained still, waiting for Dooku to act.

“Are you here to rescue my prisoner?”  Dooku continued, clasping his hands behind his back.  “I assure you that you will not succeed in this endeavor.  We already captured him, Master Kenobi.  It’s only a matter of time until I discover the truth.”

“Don’t be so certain, Dooku,” Obi-Wan replied.  He knew for a fact that Dooku didn’t see Qui-Gon yet, but now he had to give Ahsoka enough time to help Qui-Gon escape and hopefully get back to the landing pad, where they can all leave.

Dooku ignited his blade, and Obi-Wan followed suit.  He prayed to the Force that the distraction would work.

* * *

“Master Qui-Gon!”

Qui-Gon had just successfully escaped from his cell, prying the door open with the Force.  It took more time than he would have liked, but he was done now, though he was still weaponless.  He looked up upon hearing his name to see Ahsoka standing a few feet away.

“Ahsoka?” he asked, stunned.  “What are you doing here?” he asked.  “How did you get here?”

“I’m here to rescue you, Master,” she answered, voice cheerful.  “Though you seem to have done it yourself,” she noted.  The two droids that he discovered upon leaving his cell were crumpled on the ground due to his careful application of the Force.  Her eyes landed on his shoulder and immediately widened.  “Master, you’re hurt!” she exclaimed.

“I’ll be fine, padawan,” he answered immediately.  It was true; now was hardly the time to worry about his injury.  He distantly wondered how he would be able to find Dooku if Ahsoka was here now.  It certainly made things more…complicated.  “Did you come with Anakin?” he asked, deftly changing the topic.

Ahsoka’s montrals colored slightly before she answered.  “Not exactly,” she mumbled.

Qui-Gon tilted his head.  “You came by _yourself_?” he guessed, stunned at the idea.  He didn’t think she would be able to leave the Temple, as a junior padawan, by herself.

“No,” she answered shortly, slightly defensive.

There was something she was definitely trying to hide from him, Qui-Gon realized.  He dropped his shields and reached into the Force, immediately recoiling in shock.  “You came with _Obi-Wan_?” he asked.  Obi-Wan, when he last saw him, was too sick to even walk unassisted or keep food down.  How could he come here _now_?

“I had no choice!” she exclaimed.  “He was going to come, regardless.”  The frustration in her voice was obvious now.  If the situation wasn’t so serious, Qui-Gon would have laughed.  Instead he crossed his arms and sighed.  Of course, Obi-Wan would follow him, regardless of his medical restrictions.  Qui-Gon should have known better than to assume otherwise.

Qui-Gon nodded slowly.  “Where _is_ that idiot padawan of mine, then?” he asked blandly.

“Dooku…he was coming so Master Kenobi told me to go find you while he kept Dooku occupied,” she explained, the frustration slowly disappearing from her voice as she fought to maintain calmness.

Qui-Gon blinked.  “Right then,” he replied.  He looked down at the droid on his right, immediately spotting his lightsaber resting on its belt.  He pulled it up with the Force into his right hand and placed it on his belt.  “Let’s go pay a visit to my Master and my Padawan, then,” he declared before walking out of the room, Ahsoka in tow.

* * *

“They’ll probably see us on their sensors before we arrive,” Anakin mused.  They were about to arrive at the coordinates, which, according to the scanners, appeared to be a Separatist flagship.

 _“We must immediately take out their hyperdrive if you intend on landing on that ship,”_ Master Windu answered, holographic form flickering slightly.  The permanent crease between his eyebrows was a bit deeper than usual, but Anakin didn’t comment.  It probably was better not to say anything now.

Anakin nodded.  “Rex, can I trust you to take care of that?” he asked.  “I need to slip through onto the ship without anyone noticing; if they go into hyperspace then Dooku will have three Jedi prisoners on his ship,” he continued and shuddered.

“I’ll take a squadron of starfighters out to disable the hyperdrive, Generals” Rex answered.

 _“Good,”_ Master Windu responded.  _“And in the meantime, the 187 th will focus on keeping the Separatists occupied with a frontal, direct attack.”_  Master Windu crossed his arms.   _“Don’t spend too much time in there.  Get a hold of Obi-Wan or Ahsoka on commlink and pick them up.  Do not engage Dooku; this operation is far too risky for that,”_ he commanded.

Anakin resisted the urge to protest, but he nodded.  If it came down to it, he would confront Dooku, but now was not the time to argue about it.  “Let’s do this,” he said ominously, and at Master Windu’s nod, he shut off the holoboard before racing off to one of the _Resolute_ ’s hangar bays.

* * *

“You don’t look very well, Master Kenobi,” Dooku commented, voice tinged slightly with confusion.

It was getting increasingly more difficult for Obi-Wan to keep up.  Dooku was an incredible duelist, among the best of the Jedi before he left.  Normally Obi-Wan would have been able to at least keep up with Dooku’s powerful Makashi strokes, but minutes into the duel, the migraine sitting at the base of his skull clawed its way into existence.  His face was drenched with sweat and his breaths came in short gasps.  But Obi-Wan pressed on, reaching for the Force once again.

“You wouldn’t come here to face me like this unless it was important, Obi-Wan,” Dooku said when Obi-Wan didn’t reply.  “I know you’re smarter than this.  Tell me who the prisoner is and we can stop this now,” he pressed.  He sounded sincere, but Obi-Wan knew he was lying.

“ _No_ ,” Obi-Wan said through gritted teeth, blocking another one of Dooku’s strikes with trembling arms.  He would not give Qui-Gon away.  Not like this, not now.

“No?” Dooku repeated, voice dripping with surprise.  “What a shame, then,” he murmured.

Before Obi-Wan could even think to react, his whole body was engulfed in crippling pain.  _Force lightning_ , he realized dimly.  He dropped to the ground with a loud cry, lightsaber rolling out of his hands.  _Everything_ hurt now, and the pain was sharp and burning and excruciating all at once.

Obi-Wan tried to move in the midst of the lightning, tried to summon the Force to pull his lightsaber back to him, but the effort was well beyond him.  He’d never experienced Force lightning before, though he’d heard Anakin talk about it once, and it’s a lot worse than Obi-Wan had imagined it to be.

He dimly saw Dooku’s hands move in a jerking motion, and the pain rose dramatically.  Obi-Wan screamed, feeling tears leak from the corners of his eyes, and he _tried_ to move, tried to do something, but every movement seemed to spark more of the pain through him.  _Master_ , he sent to Qui-Gon through their Force bond, not even sure if he would hear his thoughts.

 _I’m sorry, Master_.

* * *

“ _No_ ,” Qui-Gon muttered, feeling pain flood the bond he shared with Obi-Wan.  Ahsoka looked up at him as they go through the hallways.

 _I’m sorry, Master_.   The words echoed into his mind, and Qui-Gon staggered to a stop, eyes wide.  He tried to send something back through the bond, but Obi-Wan wasn’t replying now, and the pain was worse, so much worse.

“What happened?” she asked.  She probably was able to tell through the Force that something was wrong.

“We need to hurry, Ahsoka,” he answered.  It was difficult for him to run; it would cause his shoulder to burn even more with the air pressing against it.  Nonetheless, he moved faster, pressing his right hand to his shoulder as it began to protest.

Soon enough, he heard the sound of Force lightning before he turned another corner into a wide hallway.  He looked up at the source of the lightning, at the tall man who stood, back towards him.

Obi-Wan thrashed on the ground, screaming as the Force lightning assaulted him.  Ahsoka’s eyes widened, and she took a few steps forward.  “Master Kenobi!” she shouted.

The Sith (Dooku, it was _Dooku_ ) stopped and Obi-Wan’s eyes immediately closed, his Force presence shifting into unconsciousness.  Dooku turned around, studying Ahsoka carefully before his eyes met Qui-Gon’s.

Dooku didn’t have Sith eyes; they were still brown, but there was so much anger and pain encompassing them nonetheless.  He looked older than Qui-Gon remembered, but still formidable.  His former master’s eyebrows creased into a frown as he studied him.

“So your cloners saw it fit to clone a Jedi now?  And a Jedi who died _years_ ago, at that?” he asked.  His voice sounded the same as it did all those years ago, regal and commanding.  Qui-Gon remembered all the hours he spent sparring and meditating, all the countless _missions_.  All the time he spent before his Knighting.

At the corner of his eye, Ahsoka raced forward to Obi-Wan and knelt by him, trying to wake him, but Qui-Gon remained standing, looking into Dooku’s eyes.

“I am no clone,” Qui-Gon said finally.  The Sith Lord merely blinked, probably not believing him.  “I have been brought here from the past by the Force.  I am here to right the wrongs that have been done to you, Master,” Qui-Gon answered.  The Force whispered its assurances, and he took a few steps forward, closer to Dooku.

“I am here to help you, Master.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Updates will still be sporadic, so I'll tentatively say to expect the next chapter within two weeks. Thank you :)


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for continuing to support this story! Here's the next chapter!

A few unnamable emotions flickered through Dooku’s eyes before they settled back into cool indifference.  Qui-Gon remained still, waiting for _something_ to happen.  The Force seemed to hold its breath in anticipation, and Qui-Gon was tempted to do the same.  Ahsoka stared up at them from her position besides Obi-Wan, who remained completely still.  Part of Qui-Gon wanted to run over and shake him awake, but another part of him wanted to scream into Dooku’s face until he _understood_.

“You are _not_ Qui-Gon Jinn,” Dooku said finally.  There was nothing in his voice that betrayed his emotion.  “I watched the holorecording of his death _days_ after it happened.  I watched as my padawan _died_ , and no one was able to save him.  The Jedi Council _failed_ to see what would happen.  They failed him, and they failed me,” he continued.  “So I don’t know what you are, but you’re not him.”

Passion.  That was the emotion that he couldn’t name earlier.  It leaked into Dooku’s voice only slightly, but Qui-Gon didn’t react, _couldn’t_ react.  What was he supposed to say?  That he was sorry?  That he agreed that the Council made some wrong decisions all those years ago?  “Master,” he whispered finally.

Dooku was a _Sith_.  Even when Obi-Wan told him the truth a few days ago, he didn’t exactly believe it.  He kept thinking that Obi-Wan and Anakin were mistaken, that maybe they were talking about someone else.  Dooku cut off Anakin’s arm, and just right now he was…He looked at Obi-Wan again, whose face was almost white and drenched with sweat.  He was going to need medical help soon, but Qui-Gon didn’t know _how_ they could do that, when the three of them were alone on this ship, surrounded by droids and Sith and darkness.

 _No_.  Dooku may have Fallen, but it can’t be too late.  It _can’t_.

“When Xanatos fell…” Qui-Gon murmured.  “When he fell to the Dark Side and turned against me and everything I taught him, I was devastated.  I never _told_ you, Master.”  His voice was slightly louder.  “I think you knew what he was going to become, but I didn’t believe you.”  He felt Ahsoka’s surprise in the Force and Dooku’s silent contemplation, but he pressed on.  “I then swore never to take a padawan again, but we both know that didn’t happen.”

The room shook violently as an explosion rocked the ship.  Qui-Gon stumbled, gritting his teeth as his shoulder burned.  Ahsoka grabbed onto Obi-Wan’s shoulders, preventing him from moving too much.  “I don’t know what you want me to say to prove it to you,” Qui-Gon whispered.

Dooku’s eyes were still expressionless, but Qui-Gon felt him reach into the Force, reach for _him_.  “This is…” Dooku’s voice cracked slightly, but he recovered quickly.  “…impossible.”  He paused, eyes flickering to Ahsoka’s bright ones.  “The Force tells me that you _are_ Qui-Gon, but…there has never been any record of time travel; it’s supposed to be _impossible_ ,” Dooku said.

A gasp echoed through the room, and Qui-Gon dragged his eyes away from Dooku and too the source of the sound.  Obi-Wan’s eyes were open, but his breathing was uneven and ragged.  He looked like he was trying to get up, but Ahsoka’s hands were firmly on his shoulders, pushing him back down.  Qui-Gon heard her whisper to him, and he eventually deflated, face and shoulders relaxing onto the ground as his Force presence sank into deep unconsciousness.  He knew that Obi-Wan was going to need help, and _soon_.

Before he could say anything, the beeping of a commlink echoed in the room.

* * *

Anakin dialed quickly on the ship’s communication system as he approached Dooku’s flagship.  Obi-Wan _should_ be able to answer now, since they were in communications range.  “Come one, answer,” he muttered to himself, slowly moving his ship closer while avoiding fire.

A few moments passed before he heard a rustling sound, and then a voice.  _“Um…hello?”_

Anakin blinked.  This was the second time in a row that he called Obi-Wan and someone else answered.  “Ahsoka?” he answered, slightly confused.  “Where’s Obi-Wan?  I thought I was calling him,” he admitted.

 _“He can’t talk right now…what are you doing here?”_ she asked, swiftly changing the topic.  Her voice sounded relatively normal, but there was a slight undercurrent of worry in her tone.

Anakin shook his head, deciding to explain later.  He pressed a few more buttons as he swerved the ship to the right, narrowly dodging a few bolts.  “I can see your location on the ship.  There’s a hangar close to you, about 5 rooms over, I would guess.  Is Master Qui-Gon with you too?” he asked.

There was a long pause now, though he could hear the background static through his commlink, which meant that Ahsoka wasn’t answering for some reason.  “Ahsoka?” he tried, voice cracking.  If _something_ happened, just as he was arriving, Anakin wouldn’t know what to do…

 _“Yeah, Master Qui-Gon is here too,”_ she answered after another lengthy pause.

“Great; meet me in that hangar in about two minutes,” Anakin said before clicking off.  He wanted to say more, ask more about what happened and why they left without even telling him _anything_ , but he would wait.  Arguing over commlink never ended well, and there was little time to waste right now.  The nerves bundled in his stomach tightened, but he ignored it, putting on some more speed as he slid into the open side of the ship.

* * *

“Your Republic forces are here, then,” Dooku said once Ahsoka turned off the commlink.  She looked up at Qui-Gon, and then at Obi-Wan, whose eyes were still closed.  He awoke briefly earlier, but the pain emanating from his Force presence caused him to fall back into unconsciousness.  He was worse now, _much worse_ , and Ahsoka felt as though she should have tried harder to stop him from coming here.  But now it was too late, and the deed was done.

Dooku paused before speaking again.  “You know I won’t let you leave, Padawan Tano,” he said, voice even.  His eyes shifted over to Master Qui-Gon, whose hand was still pressed to his shoulder.  “I don’t have the _answers_ that I need,” Dooku uttered, eyes wide.

Anakin was coming, she knew, but he didn’t know the whole story.  He didn’t know that Dooku knew about Qui-Gon now, that Dooku knew he was coming.  This was all a trap set by Dooku, and Ahsoka saw no way out.  She looked up at Qui-Gon again, but his expression gave nothing away, nothing to reassure her.

“Let them go.”

The words seemed to fall out of Master Qui-Gon’s mouth easily, and she looked up at him, stunned.  _He wouldn’t dare…_ But apparently she didn’t know him as well as she thought.  She opened her mouth to protest, but Qui-Gon continued.

“I’ll stay here and tell you what you need to know.  Obi-Wan needs medical attention; just let him and Ahsoka go, Master.”  Qui-Gon’s voice was firm, and his eyes were _cold_ blocks of ice, not quite emotionless, but hardened by duty, by knowing what he had to do.

Dooku hummed and stroked his beard.  “Intriguing, I’ll admit,” he said finally.  The ship shook again, but this time everyone remained still.  Dooku’s eyes flicked towards Ahsoka, calculating.  “You must agree to retreat all your forces, Padawan Tano.  If you _don’t_ retreat, I don’t care who you say this man is—” He gestured loosely towards Qui-Gon.  “—I will make sure his death is _painful_.”

“How do I know you won’t kill him as soon as we leave?” Ahsoka asked, voice even.  There was no guarantee that Dooku would actually keep his word; he was a _Sith Lord_ , for Force’s sake.

“You won’t know,” Dooku answered almost immediately.  Qui-Gon nodded at her reassuringly, eyes softening.  She had to trust him, at least.

Ahsoka breathed slowly and looked at Obi-Wan again.  She sort of wished he was awake right now, so he could decide what to do.  But she already _knew_ what he would do, as much as he wouldn’t like it.  _I’m sorry, Master Kenobi_ , she thought before looking up at Dooku.

“Okay.”

* * *

“What happened?  Where’s Master Qui-Gon?” Anakin asked as soon as she was settled on the ship.  The ship he arrived in had no bunk, so they strapped Obi-Wan firmly into the backseat, hoping that the flight wouldn’t jostle him around too much.

“We need to leave now, Master,” Ahsoka said, sitting forward slightly in her copilot’s seat to prepare the ship for departure.  Dooku had given her a very small window of time to leave his flagship before he would send another battalion of droids after them.

“But where is he?” Anakin asked.  He looked extremely frustrated, as though he expected things to go differently.  She felt the same way, if she was being honest.

“He made a deal, and…I had no choice but to go with it.  I couldn’t stop him,” she explained.  There were tears forming in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, blinking hard instead.

“What do you mean, Ahsoka?”  His voice was low, almost emotionless.

She shook her head.  “Master, we need to leave _now_.  I promise, I’ll explain everything on the _Resolute_ ,” she said.  “I know you’re probably confused, but a lot’s happened, but we need to hurry and retreat before it’s too late.”  Anakin opened his mouth in protest again, but she cut him off.  “ _Please_ , Master.”

It took him a moment, but he finally nodded, after glancing back at Obi-Wan’s still form.  “Let’s go,” he mumbled, quickly pulling the ship out of the hangar and towards safety.  Without Qui-Gon.

* * *

“You kept your word,” Qui-Gon commented, looking out at the Republic ship that flew out of the hangar and towards one of the Republic flagships.  He resisted the urge to sigh in relief, but he was glad that Ahsoka and Obi-Wan arrived to safety.

Dooku, standing a few feet away, gave a slow nod, eyebrows furrowed.  “I have yet to see if I made the right choice,” his former master said.  One by one, the Republic ships began to disappear, to go back into hyperspace, until Qui-Gon was staring out the window at an empty expanse of space.  “I still don’t know if I believe you, but I can tell that you are no liar,” Dooku continued.  “You truly believe yourself to be Qui-Gon Jinn.”

“I am,” Qui-Gon said, turning away from the window to face him.  Dooku’s eyes remained emotionless but calculating.  It was hard not to shift at all under his gaze, but Qui-Gon had many years of practice.  He remained still.

Dooku looked away finally.  “Come with me, then,” he said, and began to walk away.  Qui-Gon followed, wondering where they were going.  “You’ll need medical treatment for your shoulder before anything else,” Dooku explained as they exited the room.

Qui-Gon nodded in acquiescence as he continued to follow.  He had so _many_ questions, but he had to wait until the right moment to ask.  Patience was key.

* * *

Obi-Wan opened his eyes, and immediately wished he hadn’t.  A full-fledged migraine pounded behind his eyes, nearly every single muscle ached, and his torso burned.  He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, taking a deep breath to prepare himself, before he opened his eyes again.  He blinked a few times before he focused on his surroundings.

He was in a medbay of some sort, most likely on a Republic ship, considering how _familiar_ it seemed.  The rest of the beds in the room was empty, he noted.  A door opened, and he glanced up to see Helix walk in.

The clone medic raised his eyebrows.  “General Kenobi,” he greeted, surprise coloring his voice slightly.  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to answer, and found his voice too hoarse to generate much sound.  “W…wa-ter,” he managed, and Helix nodded, putting down the bacta patches he held in his hands before moving quickly to the basin.  He pressed a cup of water into Obi-Wan’s hand, and he drank slowly, feeling the water settle heavily in his stomach.

“Try talking now,” Helix said once he finished, taking the cup and putting it on a nearby counter.

“What happened?” Obi-Wan asked.  His voice was still hoarse, but he could talk now.  The room blurred slightly, and he blinked, the pain flashing through his mind suddenly.  He inhaled sharply, letting the pain settle slightly before he looked up at Helix again.  “I was…on Dooku’s ship with Ahsoka and Qui-Gon,” he recalled.

“You can talk about that with General Skywalker once he comes back,” Helix said.  “The healers at the Jedi Temple said you were having migraines and Force exhaustion, among other things.  Are you experiencing any of those symptoms right now?” he asked gently.

Obi-Wan didn’t answer immediately.  Qui-Gon seemed far away, according to the bond.  Something was _wrong_.  “I…” he reached into the Force, but the movement seemed to cause the pain to shoot along the length of his head into his spine.  He collapsed backwards into the bed with a loud groan.  He heard Helix’s muffled shout, felt hands grabbing his arms, and the world seemed to spin around him now.

 _Breathe_ , someone was saying.  He breathed.  The fiery pain reduced to a pounding in his skull, and his vision was mostly clear.  Helix stood next to him, eyes wide.  “I’ll take that as a yes, then,” he said.  Helix took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.  “You have electrical burns that I can treat right now,” the medic explained.  “Then I would like you to eat and then try to sleep.  I can give you a sedative if needed.”

“I need to talk with Anakin first,” Obi-Wan breathed.  “Where is he?”

Helix stared at him for a long moment, as though he was trying to figure out something before he deflated.  “Eat, then I’ll comm him,” he said.  The medic handed him a plate of bread and fruit.  Obi-Wan picked up the bread and began to eat it slowly, but seconds later, it came back up with some bile.  Helix looked stunned for a brief moment.  “Okay,” the medic said, features immediately shifting to calmness.  “Is there anything you can eat, General?  Or should I give you nutrients intravenously?”

Obi-Wan sighed.  “Do you have biscuits or crackers?” he asked.  He didn’t need to have nutrients pumped into him; he didn’t _want_ it.  He needed to recover from this quickly; it’s been going on long enough now, and he was just _tired_.

It took some time, but he was able to eat enough crackers to satisfy Helix, who then commed Anakin.  Obi-Wan dozed as he waited, feeling the exhaustion press into him even more.  The bacta was helping slowly with the burns, but the migraine persisted relentlessly.

“Master?”

He opened his eyes and looked up at Anakin.  Ahsoka stood beside him, eyes wide with emotion.  “Where’s Qui-Gon?” he asked.  “Why isn’t he here?”  He resisted from reaching into the Force again, remembering the reaction it caused almost immediately when he did it earlier.

Anakin looked down at Ahsoka, who rubbed at her cheek as a tear slipped out.  “I…He stayed on the ship, Master.  It was the only way for us to get out,” she explained.  “I’m _sorry_.”  Her voice cracked, but she didn’t look away from him now.  “Master Qui-Gon told Dooku to let us go, in exchange for him, and he agreed.”

Obi-Wan stared at her before he looked up at Anakin, who nodded in confirmation.  He closed his eyes slowly and exhaled, pushing away all the emotion that bubbled up inside him. 

“I’m sorry,” Ahsoka repeated, voice trembling slightly.

He opened his eyes and looked at them again.  “I just…” Obi-Wan trailed off and looked away for a moment.  “I’d like to be alone right now,” he said finally.  He didn’t even bother to check if they were leaving; he carefully moved so he was lying on his side, facing away from them.

* * *

 _“I’ve been told that there was a battle involving your flagship, Tyrannus,”_ Sidious said in greeting once Dooku kneeled.

“Yes, Master,” Dooku answered, keeping his eyes on the ground.  “In hopes of obtaining the Jedi’s advantage, I leaked my location to the clones,” he explained.  There was no need for him to tell Sidious the whole story, just a few of the details.

 _“Were you successful, my apprentice?”_ the Sith Master asked, eyes burning into Dooku’s skull.

“I wasn’t,” Dooku responded.  The lie fell easily from his mouth, but he pressed on.  “The Jedi revealed nothing to me, and they retreated before I could discover anything else,” he continued.  A half-truth.  Dooku was quite good at twisting half-truths and half-lies into anything he wanted them to be, and he was certain that Sidious would believe him.

Sidious’ lips twisted, and his hologram flickered.  _“What a shame, then,”_ he said.  _“We don’t know the truth, then.”_

Dooku shook his head slowly before answering.  “No, my Master,” he replied.  “But we will,” Dooku assured him, looking up now.  “We will know the truth.”

Sidious stared at him for a long moment before nodding slowly.  _“See to it that we will, Tyrannus,”_ he said severely before his image flickered off.

Dooku stood, wincing slightly as his joints cracked.  He was getting too old for this, honestly.  He turned and exited the room, walking towards the medbay, when he nearly ran into the Jedi.

“Who were you talking to, Master?” the Jedi asked, eyebrow raised.  This made him resemble Qui-Gon so much that Dooku was slightly startled by the similarities.

“I’m not telling you anything,” Dooku muttered, then turned to study the Jedi carefully.  His hair was tied back in Qui-Gon’s usual half-ponytail style, more neatly than before.  There were bandages peeking out of the collar of the Jedi’s robe, and the pain that was glinting in his eyes earlier seemed to have faded slightly.  “Just…leave me alone; I need to do some work,” Dooku continued, turning away.

He was stopped by a hand gripping his wrist.  “ _Master_ ,” the Jedi whispered, eyes wide.  “You do believe that I am Qui-Gon, right?”

Dooku found himself thinking back to when he first met Qui-Gon, decades ago.  Qui-Gon was only a small boy then; he looked around at the world with wonder in his eyes, with a keen passion for the Living Force that astounded Dooku almost instantly.  He remembered taking the boy as his padawan and watching him grow, watching him become a man who followed the Force and the Force only.  A man who always spoke his mind, no matter what happened.

The look in the Jedi’s eyes at this moment was identical to the look he received from Qui-Gon when he asked him to be his padawan and when he Knighted him, over a decade later.  The Force hummed in his mind, whispering the truth.  “Yes,” he whispered finally, not quite believing that he was saying it out loud.  “Qui-Gon,” he murmured, reaching for the other man’s uninjured shoulder and gripping it, feeling solid, _real_ clothing and flesh in his hand.

“Master,” Qui-Gon said in response, eyes watering slightly.

Dooku inhaled slowly, dragging his mind out of the past and into the present.  “It seems we have much to discuss,” he murmured.  “Come with me.”

* * *

Anakin didn’t come by to see Obi-Wan until after they had returned to the Temple.  He didn’t know what to say to him and found it easier to just stay away while they traveled back on the _Resolute_.  He didn’t speak to Ahsoka on the trip back either; she went off on her own to do some katas and catch up on homework (probably to avoid him, if he was being honest).

He walked into Obi-Wan’s room in the Healer’s Ward, expecting to see him asleep, but Obi-Wan was awake.  His eyes immediately landed on Anakin as he walked in.  “Hi, Master,” Anakin greeted as he sat down on the stool next to the bed.

Obi-Wan was silent for a long time before he answered.  “Anakin,” he said finally.  His voice sounded relatively normal, but his face was pinched with pain.  According to Master Che, Obi-Wan was suffering through a relapse.  He had overexerted himself by leaving the Temple in the first place, and now he seemed almost worse than before.

“How are you?” Anakin asked blandly.  He wanted to ask more, wanted to spit out his _feelings_ about Obi-Wan and Ahsoka and Qui-Gon all leaving him behind before.  But this…he couldn’t now.  It would be…

“Fine,” Obi-Wan answered.  They both knew he wasn’t, but Anakin didn’t comment. 

There was a long silence now, as Obi-Wan shifted slightly in his bed, a hand pressed to the side of his skull.  Anakin watched him slowly, but didn’t do anything.  He didn’t know what to do.

“I need to apologize, Anakin,” Obi-Wan murmured finally.  “I shouldn’t have taken Ahsoka with me without telling you anything.  There was hardly any time, and I…” He paused and released a slow breath.  “I was not thinking.”

 _No,_ Anakin thought harshly, _you weren’t_.  “What about Master Qui-Gon?” he asked.

Obi-Wan paused and looked directly at him, looking slightly confused.  “What do you mean?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused.  As though he didn’t _realize_ that Anakin was left behind, that Obi-Wan and Ahsoka and Master Qui-Gon just…left, without saying a single word to him.  As if he didn’t _matter_ to them.

“You just…left!” Anakin exclaimed.  Obi-Wan’s eyes widened in surprise.  “Did you even think about how I might have felt about that?  I _know_ that Master Qui-Gon’s back, and it must mean a lot to you, but that doesn’t mean you neglect me, Obi-Wan!  That doesn’t mean you just go _off_ with him and my padawan when you feel like it!”

Obi-Wan stared at him for a long time before he took a deep breath.  Anakin felt his shields falter for a moment, felt the agony that remained hidden underneath them.  “Qui-Gon went after Dooku on his own,” Obi-Wan murmured in response, “Once I realized it, I decided to follow him.  I gave Ahsoka the choice to stay behind or to come with me.”  Obi-Wan deflated, sagging slightly into the pillows that kept him propped up on the bed.  “It was not my intention to…leave you behind,” Obi-Wan admitted.

They didn’t…?  Anakin frowned slightly.  He’d assumed that they intentionally left him behind, but Obi-Wan was denying it now.  “I jumped to a conclusion without really thinking about it,” Anakin realized.

“I know.” Obi-Wan gave him a half-smile that made Anakin feel even worse than before he walked in.

“We’ll get him back, Master,” Anakin said.  “I promise you this.”

Obi-Wan’s smile faded slightly and he exhaled, his face completely blank.  “I’m tired, Anakin,” he whispered finally.  The admission caught Anakin slightly off-guard.  Obi-Wan was never this _open_ about anything, so to hear it so bluntly now was…rather different.  Before Anakin could say or do anything, Obi-Wan adjusted himself so he was lying down and closed his eyes.

Anakin released a quiet sigh and walked out of the room, feeling more confused than before.

* * *

“I’m sorry to hear that all of this happened, Anakin.”  Palpatine’s voice was gentle and his eyes shone with emotion.  “To have Master Jinn arrive from the past, and only to lose him a few days later…it must be devastating.”

Anakin nodded, rubbing at his eyes tiredly.  “The worst part is the fact that I was too late to stop it from happening.  That Ahsoka would…she’s my padawan, my _responsibility_ , and she couldn’t even tell me what Obi-Wan and Master Qui-Gon were doing,” he responded.  This was truly a _mess_ , and Anakin didn’t know how he could go on from this.  He felt completely lost.

Palpatine shook his head.  “It’s a shame that the Jedi don’t see your value, Anakin,” he said.  “I know you would have stopped this from occurring had you been there.”

Anakin sighed.  “Exactly, Chancellor,” he responded.  Palpatine seemed to understand _everything_ he was going through right now.  He couldn’t bring himself to spend a lot of time with Ahsoka, without the reminder of what she’d done on Dooku’s ship.  He visisted Obi-Wan a few times, but he wasn’t really up for talking, especially about Qui-Gon or Dooku.  Things were slowly spiraling out of control.

“My boy, I believe there is a way for you to rescue Master Qui-Gon before it’s too late.”

Anakin looked up, stricken by Palpatine’s words.  “How?” he croaked.  Just the promise, the _idea_ of Qui-Gon’s rescue made him feel hopeful again.

“I’ll send you a message tonight.  I need to finalize some details,” Palpatine said.  Anakin nodded, just as his commlink beeped.

“Ahsoka’s looking for me,” Anakin realized when he looked at the message he received.  “It was good talking to you, Chancellor.”

“You as well, my boy.  I wish you well.” Palpatine said in farewell, and Anakin left, feeling just as confused as he did before this visit.

* * *

Sidious chuckled immediately after Skywalker left and leaned back in his chair.  So Tyrannus saw fit to _lie_ to him now?  Thanks to Skywalker’s foolishness, he already knew about the Jedi’s secret, and his spies on Dooku’s ship told him of Jinn’s continued presence there.  It meant that Tyrannus would not remain loyal for long, and he needed to be eliminated sooner than expected.

Luckily, Sidious was prepared, and the fact that both Tyrannus and Jinn were on the same ship made things infinitely easier for him.  Skywalker was almost ready to Turn; it would only be a matter of time now, and with Tyrannus and Jinn out of the way, his only main concerns were regarding Kenobi and Skywalker’s apprentice.  Luckily, those two were easier to dispose of.  Sidious could almost taste victory; all he had to do was put the final dejarik pieces in place.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter; please let me know what you think :) Expect the next chapter in about 1-2 weeks.


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidious acts.

“I trust you will do what has to be done,” the Sith Lord uttered, voice scratching.

_“Yes, my lord.”_

The job was simple.  The bounty hunter would have to eliminate two key players from the game.  Sidious has allowed this to progress long enough, and before Jinn could ruin anything else, he needed to be removed.  Again.  Hopefully this time the man will not find a way to ruin his plans even further. 

And Tyrannus?  His apprentice has gone against him one too many times, and it was now time for him to focus on his new apprentice.  Skywalker.  Of course, the war may seem to fade away for now, but the moment was coming.  The moment the light would be blotted out by pure, utter darkness.  The moment the Jedi would be extinct.

The meeting was brief, but Sidious knew it wouldn’t be long before Tyrannus and Jinn were eliminated.  Both have stood in the way for far too long now.

* * *

“He’s not acting like himself, Master Che,” Bant said, voice trembling slightly.  “I have known Obi-Wan for basically his whole life, and he’s…” She shrugged.  “I don’t even know how to describe, it, but it’s not good.”

The Twi’lek healer looked at her for a long moment before she sighed.  It seemed as though she felt the same way, but didn’t want to admit it yet.  “Yes, I know,” Master Che replied.  “I think a lot of it has to do with exhaustion.  Obi-Wan is tired of…his situation.  He’s too tired to even pretend that he’s not.  And the fact that Master Qui-Gon is gone now, just a few days after he came back…I don’t think he knows how to deal with that,” she explained. 

That was it exactly.  Hearing it in words made it seem more obvious, more noticeable.  “Let me help him, Master.  Anakin is barely talking to him as it is and he has no one else now,” Bant pressed.  Bant knew that the Council was getting worried, and the clones in the 212th (especially Commander Cody) were at a complete loss.  She never even saw Ahsoka walk in since they returned a few days ago without Master Jinn.  Obviously something happened, but Bant didn’t know the details.

 Master Che paused, deep in thought.  “Take him on walks around the Temple,” she said finally.  “Once a day.  Start with the hoverchair for today, and after a day or two, let him walk.  Take him to the gardens.”

Bant nodded.  Perhaps Obi-Wan only needed a change in setting and a little exercise and movement.  It wouldn’t hurt to try at least.

“And see if any of the clones would like to visit him,” Master Che continued.  “I know they’re technically not allowed in this area of the Temple, but I’m willing to make an exception for this.”  _For him_.  The words were unspoken, but Bant knew what Master Che wanted to say.

“Yes, Master,” Bant answered with a slight smile.  This was a good idea, and she needed to do whatever she could to help.  She couldn’t stand the idea of watching her friend fall apart, and not doing anything about it.

* * *

Anakin began to pull his ship out of hyperspace, feeling nervous and excited at the same time.  Palpatine sent him the coordinates to Dooku’s new location, and he decided to leave immediately, before anyone noticed he was gone.  The Council wouldn’t say anything if he returned quickly enough, especially if he had Master Qui-Gon with him.  If he could bring back Master Qui-Gon then everything might be okay again.  Obi-Wan was retreating into himself; not really talking at all whenever he visited, even though his health was slowly improving.

Qui-Gon would make it all better, though.  Anakin had to have faith in that.  The ship moved out of hyperspace, and on his right, he could see Dooku’s ship in the distance.  As he approached, he began to sense Master Qui-Gon’s presence.  He reached out to him in the Force, trying to see if he could communicate with him.  He felt Qui-Gon’s vague surprise in the Force, but it seemed that their bond wasn’t quite strong enough to communicate with words.

He needed to get closer and board the ship.  Anakin pulled forward, trying to see the best angle to enter without being detected.  If he had more time, he probably would have been able to figure out a more concise plan, but this would have to do.  The Council couldn’t know about this; they were already upset about Qui-Gon leaving for Dooku’s ship without saying anything, without _permission_.

The Force stirred suddenly and then blared in warning.  “What?” Anakin muttered, putting on a little more speed.  As he raced forward, sheer _alarm_ shot through Master Qui-Gon’s Force presence.  It seemed as though he was reaching for Anakin now, trying to say _something,_ but the Force bond wasn’t strong enough for either of them to communicate clearly.  _Ani_ —

Before he could even think of anything, Dooku’s ship blew up into a million pieces.  Anakin swerved, barely avoiding the blast.  Panic settled in his stomach.  _Master Qui-Gon?_ he tried, trying to reach for him in the Force.  But…he couldn’t sense him anymore.  He couldn’t even sense Dooku’s Force presence, which became easier for him to do as the war progressed.  It was almost as if Master Qui-Gon… _No_.  He’d only just come back; Anakin hadn’t spent enough time with him, and Qui-Gon was supposed to _help him_.  Qui-Gon was supposed to tell him how to fix everything; how to save everyone.  It can’t be…

He was too late.  Master Qui-Gon had died right in front of him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

“Bant?”

She smiled as she walked in, the empty hoverchair floating in front of her.  Obi-Wan just finished the last of his soup and was staring at her incredulously.  “What are you doing?” he asked, as though he was surprised to see her.

She raised a brow, smile widening.  “Come on; let’s go somewhere,” she said waving him over.

Obi-Wan looked at her, forehead creased slightly.  Though he had improved slightly physically, he was much quieter than he’d ever been before.  It was unsettling.  “Why?” he asked finally, tilting his head slightly.  It reminded her briefly of her initiate days, and she smiled at the thought.

“You’ve been cooped up in here for too long, that’s why.  Master Che said we can go around the Temple and to the gardens,” she answered.  She studied him carefully.  He wouldn’t refuse, right?  Usually Obi-Wan would be jumping at any chance to get out of the Healer’s Ward, and now that it was being handed to him, he was being rather…uncertain about it.

He stared at her for a long time, expression completely blank.  “Okay,” he said finally.  He pushed his covers to the side and stood.  She watched as he walked over to her slowly before settling himself into the chair.  She expected him to argue about the hoverchair, to say that he could walk around fine without it, but he didn’t and was now looking up at her expectantly.

She blinked.  “Let’s go, then,” she said, and they left.

Even though Obi-Wan didn’t say anything, she took them on a route that was less crowded, so that they wouldn’t run into anyone unexpected.  Obi-Wan didn’t say a single word for the whole trip, but she didn’t comment on that and decided to talk to him about whatever came to her mind.  He didn’t tell her to stop talking, so she decided to keep going.

Once they entered the Room of Thousand Fountains, though, she stopped talking.  The Force was… _beautiful_ here.  It was easy to just sit by a waterfall and look at all the _life_ around the garden.  She breathed deeply, enjoying the feeling in the Force of all the _life_ that prospered here.  It felt…incredible.

“Bant.”

She looked down at him finally, her eyes widening at the sight of his.  “Obi?” she asked, her joy quickly dissipating as she knelt down before him.

He gritted his teeth, face tight.  “Something—something’s _wrong_ ,” he said finally.  He shuddered and leaned forward so his forehead was resting on his knees.  She placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling him tremble at the contact.  He groaned suddenly, hands tightening on the arms of the chair and his head pressing down further on his knees.

She reached for him in the Force, but came up short when she met his durasteel shields.  “Let me in,” she murmured to him, and the shields dropped, one by one, as though they were suddenly made of paper.  Immediately she saw the problem.  The Force bond he had with Master Jinn was cracking, and she could see that Master Jinn…

Obi-Wan leaned forward past his knees and retched into the ground.  Bant pulled herself out of her stupor and rubbed his back soothingly as the food he managed to eat today spewed out of his mouth.  Once he finished, he shuddered and sat up, rubbing at his face with the back of his hand.

“Obi-Wan…” she said slowly. 

“He’s not dead,” he whispered immediately.  His eyes were bright now, brighter than they have been for the past few days.   “The bond isn’t broken, Bant; he just…disappeared.  That doesn’t mean anything.”

Bant closed her eyes, slowly releasing the emotion that welled up in her.  She could deal with it later, not when Obi-Wan was so clearly in denial.  Losing her Master while she was a padawan allowed her to partially understand what Obi-Wan went through twelve years ago, but to have it happen _again_ , so soon after Master Jinn had arrived…

She couldn’t possibly imagine the feeling of this.  The feeling of fleeting hope being snatched away way too soon was impossible for her to think about, let alone imagine.  She squeezed his shoulder slightly, trying to keep him grounded now.

“I _know_ what a broken bond feels like, Bant.”  Obi-Wan’s voice was hoarse, but it was full of conviction.  “This isn’t it.  He’s alive.”  His face was drenched in sweat and she could tell that a migraine had erupted in his skull, causing his Force presence to shudder with the agony.  The pain was leaking easily through the hastily-made shields he constructed after she retreated from his mind.  He wouldn’t admit it, despite that, but she knew him well.

“We should go back,” she suggested.  “Any nausea?  Do you want a stretcher?”

The look in his eyes was answer enough.  She pressed the button on her commlink to request a stretcher and kneeled in front of him as they waited.

* * *

“Koh-to-yah, Ahsoka,”

Ahsoka looked up from her homework at Master Koon.  She couldn’t see if he was smiling, but his eyes were sparkling in that way that told her he was.  “Hello, Master Plo,” she responded.

The Kel Dor Jedi Master sat beside her smoothly.  She moved her datapad out of the way slightly so he could sit comfortably.  “How are you?” he asked.

“I’m alright,” she answered.  The news of Anakin’s trip back to Dooku’s ship had spread like wildfire throughout the Temple, and when the news came in of Master Qui-Gon’s death on that ship, she found herself overwhelmed with guilt.  It was _her fault_ that he was on the ship in the first place.  She should have found a way to get him off the ship as well.

“We are all mourning Master Jinn, Ahsoka,” Master Plo said.  “It is alright to be sad about his passing.”

Ahsoka shook her head.  “I just…don’t believe it.  It was so sudden, Master,” she responded.  “And I…I feel slightly responsible for it,” she admitted.

“I know, little one.”  Her Finder’s voice was quiet but thoughtful.  “You should not blame yourself.”

She sighed, looking back at her homework.  She had been trying to distract herself with classwork or literally _anything_ to avoid Anakin (though he seemed equally intent on avoiding her) and Master Kenobi (which wasn’t difficult since he was at the Healer’s now).

“Master Kenobi has been asking for you, Ahsoka.”

That came to her as a surprise.  After she told him what happened on the ship, he seemed to have shut down, not really talking to her at all.  But the thought of what she’s _done_ was too much for her.  How could he even want to talk to her after that?  “I can’t…Master Plo, how am I supposed to face him?  I took Master Jinn away from him; it was my fault!”

Her voice echoed slightly in the Archives, but luckily no one was close enough to hear her.

“Talk to him.  I know it’s not your fault, and he will tell you the same.  The Healers tell me that he hasn’t been talking a lot to anyone and it’s been concerning them.  You can help, Ahsoka,” Master Plo responded.  His voice remained quiet and even as she rubbed at her eyes, forcing the tears away.

She nodded.  “Okay.”

* * *

“Master?”

Ahsoka stood by the entrance to his room in the Healer’s Ward, feeling too nervous to just walk in, as she might have before everything happened.  Master Kenobi blinked and looked up at her, but he didn’t say anything.  He just looked at her as though he was studying her carefully.  She tried not to fidget under his gaze, so she took a few tentative steps into the room.

“Um…” She trailed off, uncertain of what to say.  Master Kenobi was always very good at filling the silence when necessary, but he wasn’t as _loud_ as Anakin.  His quietness now, however, unsettled her more than it ever did before.  “Master Plo said you wanted to speak to me,” she said finally, keeping her voice even.

He blinked again and his expression remained completely neutral.  She waited for him to say something; there must have been a _reason_ he called her here, right?  Ahsoka resisted the urge to shift back and forth on her feet, and gave him a fake smile instead.

“He’s not dead.”

Ahsoka started and her smile disappeared.  She wasn’t expecting him to say _that_.  “Master Skywalker saw it happen,” she responded slowly.  She didn’t want to argue, but she couldn’t stand to see the denial in his eyes.  Surely he knew that this was _attachment_ , believing someone to be alive when that clearly wasn’t the case.

“He’s not,” Master Kenobi repeated, voice quieter.  There were dark shadows under his eyes.  “I understand that you have been blaming yourself for what happened, Ahsoka, but…”  He paused and looked directly at her with bright eyes.  “It is not your fault.  Qui-Gon is a stubborn man; he would have found a way to stay on that ship even if you refused,” he murmured.  “When he returns, you’ll see, Ahsoka.”

She nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak.  Master Qui-Gon was _dead_ ; Anakin saw it happen, but if Master Kenobi chose to believe otherwise for the time being, she didn’t want to be the one to tell him the truth.  She didn’t want to be the one to tell him that his master was taken from him once again.

She didn’t want to be the one to break his heart.

* * *

“ _No!_ ”

Anakin sat up, chest heaving.  He rubbed at his eyes, wiping tears and sweat away.  His breaths came in quick, shuddering gasps as he tried to regain control.

“The _same_ nightmare,” he muttered to himself, pushing his covers aside and stumbling to his feet.  He began having recurring nightmares again a few days ago, probably right after he saw Dooku’s ship explode.  The first time he had the nightmare, he didn’t think much of it, believing that the war was finally getting to him, especially with Master Qui-Gon’s death and with Obi-Wan’s illness.  But then it happened again.  And again.  _And again_.

When he returned to the Temple the previous night, he made a beeline back to the apartment without even speaking to _anyone_.  The Council already knew about Master Qui-Gon’s death and he was not in the mood to talk to anyone about what happened.  The apartment was thankfully empty, so he immediately went to his room and went to sleep, exhausted from his trip and the lack of sleep his visions brought him.  Of course, that didn’t stop the vision from coming _again_.

The last time Anakin had visions of someone dying, he failed to stop his visions from happening and his mother died in his arms on Tatooine.  But now the image from his nightmares, the image of Padmé falling down away from him with a hole in her chest, was scored into his mind.  He couldn’t, _couldn’t_ , lose Padmé too.  She was his _life_ , his angel.  He would do _anything_ to make sure his vision didn’t come true this time.

Padmé would not die.  He would make sure of that.

* * *

“Master?”

Obi-Wan sat cross-legged on the bed, slowly drinking a cup of tea.  His eyes shifted to meet Anakin’s before he placed the mug on the table beside him.  He didn’t say anything, but continued to look at Anakin with a blank expression.

Anakin shifted slightly, feeling uncomfortable now.  Bant said that Obi-Wan was getting better in the physical sense, that he was eating more regularly and was able to walk for extended periods of time without exhausting himself too much.  She even said that he could start doing light katas by tomorrow or the following day.  His migraines were less frequent but still very present, but by overcoming the exhaustion, he was doing better, at least physically.

“How are you?” Anakin asked, moving to sit down at the stool next to Obi-Wan’s bed.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly after a few moments.  “Better,” he answered.  “I…Cody says that without Dooku, some of the Separatists are more willing to negotiate for peace.”

“Yeah,” Anakin responded.  “They’re beginning to crumble slightly, but Grievous is still out there and there is a lot of uncertainty in the Senate about whether we should negotiate with them.  It should only be a matter of time,” he explained.  That was probably the only thing good about this situation, the fact that Dooku was dead too. 

But Obi-Wan frowned, eyes narrowing slightly.  “Qui-Gon isn’t dead, Anakin,” he whispered.  His eyes were wider now.  “And I don’t think Dooku is, either.”

Anakin shook his head slowly.  “No, Obi-Wan, I saw it happen.  Master Qui-Gon was—he was _reaching_ for me in the Force and then the ship exploded, and I couldn’t sense him anymore,” he said.  “There’s nothing left of him.”

Obi-Wan only shook his head before moving out of the cross-legged position and stretching out his legs.  The denial was clearly written on his face, and it frustrated Anakin to no end.

Fiery anger burned in Anakin’s stomach and he jumped to his feet, towering over Obi-Wan now.  “This is _attachment_ , Obi-Wan!” he exclaimed.  “You’ve told me over and over and over again not to become attached, and then you go ahead and do it anyway?  You’re being a hypocrite and it’s not fair!”  The image of Padmé with the hole in her chest and the emptiness in her eyes flashed in his eyes.

Obi-Wan looked up at him, eyes steady.  He didn’t even flinch.  “It’s not attachment; it’s the truth,” he responded.  “And if you choose not to believe me, I can’t do anything about that.”

Anakin turned around and walked towards the door, but stopped when Obi-Wan spoke again.

“And Anakin?  The fact that you are internally _celebrating_ Dooku’s death, even though it didn’t happen, is wrong for a Jedi.” 

Anakin scoffed and turned around.  No _way_ was Obi-Wan getting the last word; not this time!  “The war is _ending_!  Dooku was a threat, a _Sith_ , and ridding the galaxy of him was what we needed to bring this war to the end.  If you can’t see that, _Master_ , then…” He trailed off, raising both hands in defeat before letting them fall again.  “Then I don’t know what to say to you,” Anakin said finally.

Some color fled from Obi-Wan’s face, but Anakin stood his ground, waiting for him to say something more.  Whatever energy he seemed to have when Anakin walked in had dissipated now.  He sagged slightly into the bed, shuddering slightly.

The anger _burning_ within Anakin suddenly turned ice cold.  “Obi-Wan?” he asked.

Obi-Wan’s eyes flicked towards him, and he could see the exhaustion shimmering in their depths before it was covered by…something else.  “Leave, please,” he murmured.  Anakin ignored him and took a few steps forward, but Obi-Wan spoke again before he could move any more.  “I’d like to be _alone_ , Anakin,” he said sharply.

Anakin exhaled, biting back the retort he had on the tip of his tongue, turned around, and left the room without saying another word.

* * *

“We made it,” Qui-Gon breathed, leaning back in his chair.  He couldn’t reach out in the Force to anyone but Dooku now, thanks to Dooku’s ability to hide himself and others in the Force.  The escape from the flagship was quick and harrowing, but they made it off just before the vessel exploded.

Qui-Gon was now in a small freighter with Dooku; in fact, it was the same freighter that he took from the Temple’s hangar when he left.  They were floating around in hyperspace with no destination in mind, really.  Right now, they couldn’t afford to be found.

“We need to figure out a plan,” his former master said, eyebrows furrowed.  “It would only be a matter of time until we are discovered and word gets out that we are still alive,” Dooku continued.  He was always an incredible strategist, even as a Jedi, and it felt… _strange_ to be on a sort-of-mission with him after _so long_.

Qui-Gon nodded.  “We need to split up,” he suggested.  “The Separatists believe you to be dead.  You can go and take down the Separatist alliance, Master, you and I both know that it’s a farce and won’t last long.  The Jedi are getting overwhelmed by this war and now you have the option to _end it_.”

Dooku stared at him for a long time, eyes calculating.  “That would displease my Master greatly, Qui-Gon,” he said finally, voice severe.

“Who do you think tried to kill us?” Qui-Gon answered.  It probably was a bounty hunter who made the ship explode, but whoever _hired_ the bounty hunter was the true culprit.  And Qui-Gon was very, _very_ sure that it was the mysterious Sith Lord, Dooku’s _Master_ , who did the deed.  Qui-Gon remembered Obi-Wan mentioning the Sith Master at some point, but none of the Jedi knew who he was.

Dooku blinked before he sighed and pressed bond hands to his eyes.  “What have I _done_?” he muttered, voice muffled.  Qui-Gon resisted the urge to sit by him and hug him, as he used to when he was younger and more open with emotions.

“It’s not your fault,” Qui-Gon said. 

Dooku exhaled slowly and removed his hands from his face.  “We don’t have much time to talk.  We have a lot to do and almost no time.  I will do as you say, and then take care of General Grievous,” he said.  At Qui-Gon’s blank look, he chuckled.  “Never mind,” he said.  “You go back to the Jedi and warn them.  The Sith Master intends on exterminating all the Jedi in one swoop.  You need to investigate, Qui-Gon, and _quickly_ , without anyone noticing.  The Jedi think you’re dead, and while that _is_ unfortunate, but you can use that to your advantage.”

“I know,” Qui-Gon sighed.  He wondered how Anakin and Obi-Wan were taking this, but he couldn’t focus on that now.  They managed on their own for so long without him; they can manage just a bit longer.

“And one more thing, Qui-Gon,” Dooku said, voice quieter.  “I cannot directly tell you the identity of the Sith Lord, but tell your padawan that I did not lie on Geonosis.  That should put you in the right direction.”  Dooku’s voice was almost impossible to hear, but Qui-Gon heard him clearly. 

“I will tell him,” Qui-Gon answered.  He looked at the monitor near him and began a search for a neutral planet where they could land and get a second ship.  It was time to put the plan in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the chapter and for continuing to support this story! Kudos, bookmarks, and comments are always highly appreciated.
> 
> Exams are coming up now, so I can't really say when the next chapter will be up. As usual, expect it in the next 1-2 weeks!


	9. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qui-Gon and Dooku enact their plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for continuing to support this story! I have been defeated by exams, hence the wait, but I hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

_“I did as you asked,”_ Dex said.  The Besalisk looked completely serious, which was a rarity in itself, but Qui-Gon only nodded for him to continue.  There would be time, later, to catch up with Dex properly, but for now…business was business. 

 _“My contact tells me that the Kaminoans are known for using inhibitor chips in their products.  It’s like a signature, though if you would ask them they would say the chips are used just to prevent aggression,”_ Dex explained, his hologram flickering slightly.

Inhibitor chips.  Of course.  Qui-Gon sighed, running a hand through his hair.  “What does this _mean_ , Dex?” he asked.  He wasn’t far from Coruscant, but he had to make a stop for fuel and decided to see if Dex had received any information about the clones since the last time they spoke.

The Besalisk’s face pressed into a frown.  _“The chips have contingency orders on ‘em.  I don’t know the details, exactly what these orders entail, but some of them may not be good.  You need to find this out before it’s too late.  My contact refuses to dig further than this,”_ he responded.  A loud crash sounded behind Dex, and he turned around.  _“And now my restaurant calls, Qui-Gon,”_ he turned around to face him again with a grim smile.  _“I do hope you come by and show your face here, my friend.  It has been way too long.”_

Qui-Gon nodded.  “I will,” he answered.  “May the Force be with you.”

Dex’s smile widened.  _“And you, my friend,”_ he said before his hologram flickered out of existence.  Qui-Gon shut down the ship’s commlink and leaned back in his chair.

The Jedi needed to know about these inhibitor chips, about these so-called contingency orders.  Did the Sith have a hand in _making_ the chips, or even the clones themselves?  He remembered the Council saying that the clones were of some bounty hunter, but nothing more than that.  They _had_ to have been ordered a few years ago, at least, but who ordered them?  Who would have known that a war was coming, that the Republic would need an army?

Qui-Gon exhaled, and began setting coordinates as he pulled the ship off the ground.  It was time for him to go home.

* * *

It was almost _too easy_ for Dooku to track down Grievous.  The droid general must have thought nothing of Dooku’s apparent death and believed himself to be the leader of the Separatists now, even as it crumbled.  Grievous was on Geonosis, overseeing the production of a droid factories, something that Dooku was _planning_ to do before everything happened.  It irked him that Grievous would automatically assume Dooku’s own responsibilities, as though he believed himself worthy of being Dooku’s replacement.

Arriving on Geonosis didn’t take much time; Dooku was able to take a small ship from a nearby Separatist base and slipped through the blockade without much problem.  None of the droids thought to check his ship since it was a current Separatist ship.

He landed the ship a few yards away from the largest factory.  It was almost evening, but it was still relatively hot.  He removed his cape and left it on the ship, lightening the weight on his shoulders.  His lightsaber rested on his belt comfortably, easily within reach.

As he approached the factory, he began to see a few droids.  Some of them completely ignored him, but eventually one came up to him.

“Count Dooku?” it uttered.  “We’ve been told that you’re dead, sir.”  The droid’s voice was slightly tinged with surprise.  “Would you like me to contact Gen—”

Dooku squeezed his hand into a fist, crushing the droid with the Force before it could complete its question.  He released the droid, letting it crumple onto the ground in pieces.  “That’s better,” he muttered to himself.  A few feet away, another five droids were staring at him, but once he looked up at them, they turned away, not wanting to end up like the droid that spoke to him.

He continued, reaching easily into the Force to find Grievous’ location.  The droid general was deep in the factory, completely unaware of Dooku’s presence.  Good.

As he weaved into the factory and through its rooms, he discreetly began to shut everything down.  Grievous would probably notice, but it wouldn’t matter since Dooku was aiming to find him anyways.  A few more droids tried to intercept him, but Dooku crushed them instantly, before they could say or do anything.

Finally, he reached the central room.  He could hear Grievous shouting through the door, asking why production had stopped.  Dooku almost smiled at the droid general’s frustration and strode into the room, sweeping his hand sideways to fling a couple of droids to the wall on his right as he moved forward to meet Grievous.

“Count Dooku?” Grievous asked.  Dooku could easily feel his surprise in the Force, his _alarm_ at seeing Dooku alive.  “You’re _dead_ , that’s what—”

Dooku raised his hand, lifting the droid easily with the Force and bringing him forward.  He reached for Grievous’ heart, encased within his durasteel ribcage.  Grievous choked, his words cutting off with a gasp more of surprise than pain.  _“What?”_ Grievous gasped, as Dooku slowly squeezed at his heart, slowly cutting off the flow of blood into the rest of his system, immediately immobilizing Grievous.

“It’s time for this war to end, my friend,” Dooku murmured.  He felt Grievous trying to squirm, trying to _escape_ , but he held him tightly.

“You— _Jedi—_ ” Grievous managed, and Dooku pressed his hand into a fist, Grievous immediately crying out in response.

“I am no _Jedi_ ,” Dooku hissed, and he _crushed_ the heart, ripping the muscle into shreds, and then released it, allowing Grievous’ body to fall to the floor with a heavy thump.  He looked at the mess of blood and organ and muscle that sat in the middle of Grievous’ chest plate now, completely mangled and destroyed.

“I am no Sith, either,” he whispered, and moved forward to completely shut down the factory and to destroy everything inside it.

* * *

It took a bit of time for him to get permission to land in one of the Temple’s hangars; apparently, the belief that he had died when Dooku’s ship exploded had spread throughout the Order like wildfire.  Eventually, he landed in one of the Temple’s smaller hangars and paused.  He needed to tell the Council about the inhibitor chips _immediately_ , so that the Jedi can start investigating and hopefully removing the chips.  He only hoped the Council would agree with him.  He also needed to speak to Obi-Wan and Anakin; he knew that both of them would be deeply affected by his deception, and he had to make things right as soon as possible.

He breathed deeply before turning off the ship’s engine and walking out into the hangar.  Right by the ship’s entrance stood Master Yoda and Mace Windu, who glared at him as he walked down the ramp.  If looks could kill, Qui-Gon was sure Mace would have turned him into a pile of ash right now.

“Hello, Masters,” he said, bowing slightly and trying not to twitch under Mace’s gaze.

Yoda hummed as he took a few steps forward.  “Much to explain, you have, Master Qui-Gon,” he said.  “Saw you join the Force, Skywalker did.”

Qui-Gon nodded sharply.  “I know.”

Mace blinked finally and glanced down at Yoda before looking at Qui-Gon again.  “You will meet with the Council at 0700 to discuss your actions, Qui-Gon,” he said.  Qui-Gon looked at the chrono on the wall.  It was almost 0300 now, so he only had a few hours to prepare.

Qui-Gon nodded again.  “I have some things to discuss with the Council,” he responded.  “I—”

“Master Jinn!”

He turned, watching as a small figure raced up to him.  It was Bant, Qui-Gon realized.  She had grown considerably since the last time he saw her, since before Naboo.  She looked as though she just woke up and ran to the hangar; her robes were in disarray and she was panting.

“Breathe, Healer Eerin,” Mace admonished as she stopped in front of Qui-Gon and bent over, taking a few large, heaving breaths.

“I apologize, Masters, it’s just—” she cut herself off and took a big gulp of air.  The frenzy that seemed to surround her Force presence seemed to evaporate, and the tension that seemed to run through her melted away, and now she looked much calmer than before.  Bant breathed a few more times before she spoke again.  “It’s Obi-Wan,” she continued.  Her voice was even, but her eyes were still wide with emotion.  “Something’s wrong.”

* * *

“Is something wrong, Master?”

Anakin, focused on blocking Ahsoka’s attacks, faltered.  His padawan took advantage of this, kicking his saber out of his hand and pointing hers at his throat.  Anakin sighed.  “You distracted me, Snips,” he muttered, pulling his saber back to him with the Force.

It was the middle of the night.  Anakin was avoiding sleep, trying to forget about his visions of Padmé’s death at least for a few hours, and Ahsoka wasn’t completely adjusted to Coruscant’s sleep-cycle yet.  Once Anakin realized that neither of them were going to sleep that night, he suggested that they spar for a few minutes.

“I thought a Jedi was not supposed to be distracted,” Ahsoka teased.  Her smile immediately faded when Anakin didn’t reply.

“Not funny,” he muttered.  He ignited his saber again before swinging at her left side.  She blocked with the shoto, eyes narrowed.

“Are you upset about Master Qui-Gon?”

Anakin’s eyes widened and he backed away, turning off the saber.  Ahsoka’s eyes were wide now, but she continued talking.  “I know he meant a lot to you and Master Kenobi, and it just seems like…”

“We are not having this discussion, Ahsoka,” Anakin answered.  The reminder of his _failure_ to save Master Qui-Gon echoed his failure to save his mother’s life, and he couldn’t bear to lose anyone else now.  Losing Padmé would…She was all he had left; she was his _angel_.  Anakin couldn’t imagine what his life would be like if Padmé was gone.  He would keep her alive, no matter what.

“I’m sorry, Master.  I shouldn’t have…left Master Qui-Gon on the ship with Dooku.  If I didn’t do that, he might still be here now.”  Ahsoka’s voice was quieter now, and she looked down, eyes watering slightly.  Anakin stared at her for a few moments before he placed his saber on his belt and exited the training room, leaving his padawan alone.

* * *

Dooku’s part of the plan was nearly complete.  Grievous was dead, and the Separatist alliance was crumbling even faster now.  Many worlds were petitioning to join the Republic again, but he didn’t know how the Republic Senate would feel about that information, considering it was controlled by Sidious.  That would be up to Qui-Gon and the Jedi to resolve, but Dooku knew he still had work to do.  Sidious was at large and had control of the Republic, the Jedi were completely unaware of the destruction that was approaching, that the Force was going to go completely out of balance.

But for now, Dooku needed to lay low, and the best place for him to do that was in Serenno, his home planet.  If anyone knew now that he was alive, the last place they would expect him to be was here.

It felt good to be home.  He spent so much time in the past few months running the Separatist alliance, fighting the Republic and the Jedi.  And even before he left the Jedi, he was a Shadow; he lived a fast-paced life with barely any time to _breathe_ , let alone think.  And now that he was home, and the war was ending, he felt almost…at peace.

Dooku walked into one of the dining rooms, closing the door behind him as he walked forward.  He stopped when he saw a lone figure wearing a dark cloak.  The Force _shivered_.

“Did you really think, _Tyrannus_ , that I would believe your lies?”  Sidious’ voice had an undercurrent of cold anger, but it was hidden under layers of cool disdain.

Dooku swallowed back his surprise at seeing Sidious here.  He knew it wouldn’t be long until Sidious realized what he did, but he didn’t think it would happen so _quickly_.  “What are you doing here?” he asked, keeping his voice neutral.  He needed to find a way to contact Qui-Gon, _quickly_ , before anything else happened, but they didn’t have time to set up a communications link.  Their Force bond was still practically nonexistent, so Dooku couldn’t contact him through the Force, either.

“You’ve overstepped your boundaries, my apprentice,” Sidious hissed, taking a few steps forward.  “And now you must face your punishment.  My new apprentice is almost ready, which means that your time has passed,” Sidious proclaimed with a grin.

Dooku nodded slowly.  So much for getting some rest.  He pulled his lightsaber from his belt, its curved hilt resting comfortably in his hand.

The Sith Master laughed, and then he was twirling, almost _flying_ , towards Dooku, both sabers ignited.  Dooku blocked, allowing himself to sink into the motions of Makashi, of the grace and fluidity involved with the form.

Sidious was a skilled duelist.  He had mastered all seven forms of lightsaber combat, and despite his age, he moved smoothly, each movement precise and controlled.  Sidious laughed as they dueled, almost as though he found the whole situation hilarious and he was enjoying himself.

Dooku swung to block Sidious’ right blade, but then he was caught off guard as Sidious threw him roughly to the wall behind him with the Force.  He felt cracks forming on the wall behind him as Sidious held him there by the throat, nearly twenty feet above the ground.  Dooku choked, feeling his eyes water and pain rush through his body.  Just as he was about to black out from the lack of air, he was released.  He fell twenty feet to the floor with a sickening thud and landed on his side, coughing as air rushed into his damaged throat.  Sidious walked over to him, lightsabers still ignited.  One foot stepped firmly on Dooku’s lightsaber, crushing it instantly.  Dooku struggled to reach for the Force, but it slipped from him, like fine sand slipping through his fingers.

“Goodbye, Tyrannus,” Sidious uttered, and then Dooku knew nothing more.

* * *

Bant raced into Obi-Wan’s room in the Healer’s Ward, Qui-Gon on her heels.  Mace was directly behind them.  There was open agony shuddering along the length of the now cracked Force bond Qui-Gon had with Obi-Wan.  Obi-Wan’s shields lay almost in tatters, and the wounds left behind from Zigoola seemed to be ripped open and bleeding heavily within Obi-Wan’s mind.

Feeling the pain through the Force didn’t prepare Qui-Gon for the sight that met him as he ran to Obi-wan’s bedside.  Obi-Wan was lying on his back, his body trembling violently.  To Qui-Gon’s horror, there was blood coming out of Obi-Wan’s nose, staining his moustache slightly and sliding down the side of his cheek to his pillow.  Master Che was placing healing crystals on Obi-Wan’s forehead and chest, and had her eyes closed now.  A padawan healer was frantically changing one of the IVs, hands shaking slightly.  Obi-Wan’s eyes were half-open but glassy, and Qui-Gon wasn’t sure if Obi-Wan even realized that Qui-Gon was here.

There was chaos, everywhere, but Qui-Gon breathed and reached into the Force.  _Obi-Wan,_ he tried, whispering gently using the bond.  Master Che opened her eyes and looked up at him, brows raised.  Bant and Mace stood behind him, but Qui-Gon paid no attention to them as he moved forward and knelt next to Obi-Wan’s bed.

Obi-Wan’s face was drenched in sweat, and the right side was stained with a line of dried blood.  His face was nearly white, and his eyes were fully open now, but unseeing.  His breaths were heavy, slow gasps.

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon murmured.  “I’m here, padawan.”

Obi-Wan gave no response, and Qui-Gon felt his stomach tie completely into knots.  He looked up at Master Che, who looked as unsettled as he felt.  In all the years that he’s known her, Qui-Gon has never seen her look this worried.  “Get Anakin,” he said.

He heard Bant fumble for her commlink as she stepped outside of the room.  “I’m going in,” he said to Master Che, who nodded in response.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and breathed slowly before he reached for the bond.  He shuddered slightly as he felt the cracks that lined their bond now.  It wasn’t as bad as when he first arrived, but hiding himself in the Force as Dooku suggested took a toll on the new Force bond he constructed with Obi-Wan.  While Obi-Wan was recovering from Zigoola now, he wasn’t completely healed.

Slowly, Qui-Gon began to fill the cracks in the bond.  It seemed to take forever, and by the time he was done, he felt _exhausted_.  But the bond was whole once again, if not stronger than before.  He could more easily feel the pain thrumming along the bond, so he took some of it on himself and began releasing it into the Force.

Moments later, Qui-Gon opened his eyes.  He was lying on the floor with a pillow under his head.  Master Che knelt beside him, examining him.  “Obi-Wan?” he croaked, feeling his voice crack.  He began to sit up, but felt a wave of dizziness that forced him back down to the floor.  He dimly felt Master Che’s hands on his shoulders, pushing him back down so that he was lying down again.

Wordlessly, the healer handed him a cup of water.  He took the cup gratefully with a slight smile and raised it to his lips.  As he drank, he saw Ahsoka sitting on one of the chairs next to Obi-Wan’s bed, fast asleep.

“Whatever you did, Qui-Gon, it helped,” Master Che whispered.  Qui-Gon pulled himself slowly to his feet with her assistance, and immediately turned to look at Obi-Wan.  Obi-Wan was curled up on his side, and his breathing was slow and even.  He was asleep, Qui-Gon realized.

“Where’s Anakin?” Qui-Gon murmured, watching his padawan and great-grandpadawan sleep.  _Why isn’t he here?_

The healer’s lips pressed tightly together.  “It’s a long story, but you will need to speak to him, Qui-Gon,” she said finally.

Qui-Gon nodded and moved to sit in the chair next to Ahsoka.  Then he remembered.  “I’m supposed to meet with the Council,” he realized.  “It’s urgent.”  They needed to know about the chips, and about the plan to exterminate the Jedi.  They needed to know that Dooku was on their side now.

Master Che smiled.  “Don’t be late, then,” she suggested, “You can come back after.”

* * *

“Are you sure Dooku can be trusted?” Adi Gallia asked, eyes wide.  The Council seemed to refuse to believe that Dooku was helping them now.

Qui-Gon resisted the urge to roll his eyes and turned to face her instead.  “He is the reason that I’m alive now, Master Gallia,” he answered.  “He was once a Jedi.  He may not be a Jedi anymore, but we can still trust him, Masters.”

“You must understand, Master Jinn,” she said, “that Dooku is response for the death of many clones and Jedi.  Forgive us if we find it hard to believe that he’s had a change of heart.”  She seemed to pick up on Qui-Gon’s irritation.

“Now,” Mace began, changing the topic slightly, “we must discuss what you discovered after you and Dooku parted ways.”  His frown deepened.  “You claim that the clones have these…inhibitor chips?”

“Yes,” Qui-Gon answered.  “I propose that we examine one clone unit for these chips, without the Kaminoans’ knowledge, and try to determine what may be on the chips.”

Ki-Adi-Mundi, appearing by hologram, spoke up.  “We would have to be very discreet.  To go against the Kaminoans’ wishes may cause them to activate the chips, and we don’t know what would happen then,” he said.  Qui-Gon looked at him as he spoke, trying not to look at the empty seat next to him.  Obi-Wan’s seat.

“The Senate would not respond well to this, especially when they’re so divided about the Separatist worlds that want to rejoin the republic,” Kit Fisto mused, eyes wide and thoughtful.

“I agree,” Mace said.  He paused for a moment, deep in thought.  “We will do as you suggested, Master Jinn.  The Council will select a clone unit to be examined by Jedi healers and engineers to determine the purpose of these chips, if they exist,” he said.

Qui-Gon nodded, as did a few other Councilors.  “And regarding the Sith Lord?” Qui-Gon asked.  He brought it up earlier, but nothing was decided.

Mace sighed and glanced at Master Yoda before responding.  “The dark side is clouding our perception, Qui-Gon,” he admitted.  The air in the room suddenly felt very heavy.  The dark side was clouding _everything_ ; no wonder this blasted war had started in the first place and progressed to this point.  To the point of Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, losing faith in the Jedi, and Obi-Wan Kenobi nearly destroying himself from the demands of practically running one side of the war.

“We have no other choice, Masters,” Qui-Gon pressed, “The war is ending.  It is best if we find out who the Sith Lord is before they strike.”

A flicker of awareness thrummed through the Force bond he had with Obi-Wan.  Qui-Gon shifted slightly, resisting the urge to reach out to Obi-Wan while talking to the Council.  However, Master Yoda seemed to notice the change.

“Elsewhere, you are needed, Qui-Gon?” the green troll asked, brows raised.

“I believe so, Masters,” Qui-Gon responded, trying to keep his voice level.  “I think Obi-Wan is awake.”

The Councilors murmured to each other as Qui-Gon resisted the urge to shift back and forth on his feet.  Finally, they seemed to reach a decision.

“Go, you may, Master Qui-Gon.  Speak to you later, I will,” Master Yoda said.

Qui-Gon smiled and bowed before he left the chambers, immediately breaking into a run as soon as the doors closed behind him.

* * *

The Healer’s Ward was quieter than usual today.  Qui-Gon moved quickly, focused on getting to Obi-Wan as quickly as possible.  It seemed as though Obi-Wan was waking up, and Qui-Gon needed to know that his padawan was okay, that whatever he did earlier worked.

The door slid open, and he stepped in to see Obi-Wan lying flat on his back and his eyes half-open.  He blinked a few times before turning his head towards Qui-Gon.  A few moments passed as Obi-Wan stared at him before his forehead creased into a frown and he squinted.  “Master?”

Qui-Gon smiled slightly before he sat down on the stool next to the bed.  “Obi-Wan, I—”

“You’re alive.”  Obi-Wan exhaled slowly as the lines on his face smoothened out and he sank into the bed.  Qui-Gon was immediately reminded of the padawan he left behind on Naboo.  “I _knew_ it,” Obi-Wan breathed.  “Everyone thought you were dead, Master, but I knew you weren’t.”  His voice was colored with relief, and Qui-Gon found himself almost surprised at the amount of emotion that came with it. 

Obi-Wan sat up with Qui-Gon’s help.  There was more color in his cheeks, and his eyes were bright and focused.  His shields were back up, even though they appeared to be thin and wavering.  At least they were _there_ , and not completely destroyed, like they were before.

“Obi-Wan—”

“What were you _thinking_ , Master?” Obi-Wan’s voice was incredulous.  He shook his head.  “What made you think that going after Dooku by yourself was a good idea?” he asked.  Another question echoed in the air between them.  _Why didn’t you say anything to me?_

“I…” Qui-Gon trailed off.  He didn’t have much explanation.  “I was by myself when I found the coordinates.  I didn’t want to spend time trying to explain this to the Council, and you were sleeping, and Anakin was meeting the Chancellor.  Time was of the essence, Obi-Wan,” he explained.

Obi-Wan breathed slowly, eyes closing briefly before they opened again.  At that moment, the door swung open and Master Che walked in.  Obi-wan deflated slightly, allowing his head to lean back against the wall.

“Obi-Wan,” the healer greeted, and then turned to Qui-Gon.  “Master Jinn.”

Obi-Wan blinked a few times before he turned towards Master Che.  “I’d like to negotiate terms for my release, Master,” he said.  The healer seemed surprised to hear that for some reason.  Throughout Obi-Wan’s apprenticeship, he tried to spend as little time at the Healer’s as possible.  Had he not asked for this before, while Qui-Gon was away?

Master Che hummed, picking up a nearby datapad about Obi-Wan’s condition.  “The only reason I won’t grant it today is because of what happened last night, Obi-Wan,” she explained gently.  “If you don’t have a repeat performance today, I’ll allow you to leave tomorrow morning, with some conditions,” she suggested.

Obi-Wan nodded.  “What are they?” he asked.

“You will come back for a check-up every day for the rest of the week,” Master Che began.  “You will notify myself, Bant, or Master Jinn if you begin to feel a relapse or any other symptoms.  You will sleep and eat regularly.  You will not start sparring until I clear you to do so, but you may do light katas once you are released, while under supervision.”

Obi-Wan paused, deep in thought before he finally nodded.  “I’ll agree to these terms,” he said.  His eyes shifted to Qui-Gon, who smiled encouragingly.

Master Che smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.  “Now it seems you two have a lot to discuss, so I’ll come back later to check in, okay?” she said.  Obi-Wan nodded before she turned around and left the room.

Qui-Gon exhaled.  “You really feel better?” he asked.  “When I walked in last night, you were…it was _bad_ , Obi-Wan,” he admitted, shuddering slightly at the memory.

Obi-Wan frowned.  “I know, I…don’t remember much of it, admittedly.  But right now, I feel fine.  Not _great_ , if I’m being honest, but I’m not feeling any pain,” he answered.  Qui-Gon could tell that he wasn’t lying.  He honestly felt fine, which meant that hopefully, things were getting better.

He took a deep breath.  “I have a lot to tell you,” Qui-Gon said, leaning forward slightly in his chair.

Obi-Wan frowned.  “I imagine so,” he responded.  “Where have you been?  Why would you…fake your death in front of Anakin?  Do you realize how upset he has been?  He refuses to talk to me or Ahsoka, Master.  And Ahsoka, she…she blames herself for what happened, even though I’ve told her not to blame herself.”

Qui-Gon sighed.  He didn’t realize that faking his death would have so many repercussions.  “I’ll explain everything, starting from leaving the Temple once I discovered Master Dooku’s coordinates,” he said.  Obi-Wan nodded, and Qui-Gon began to talk.

* * *

“Master!”

Anakin turned around, rubbing at his eyes absentmindedly.  He was so… _tired_.  Staying awake during the day and the night was a constant struggle; he found himself drinking a lot more caf than he ever did before.

Ahsoka was running up to him, smiling widely.  “Master Qui-Gon is alive, and he’s here in the Temple!”

Anakin blinked.  “What?” he croaked.  His voice was hoarse and rough from disuse.  He cleared his throat.  “Ahsoka, I saw…”

“I know, Master,” she said, placing a hand on his arm.  He tried not to flinch at the contact.  “He faked his death and went into hiding for some reason.  I don’t know the details,” she rambled.  “But he’s visiting Master Kenobi, if you want to talk to him.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me when he arrived?” Anakin asked.  Didn’t Master Qui-Gon care about him, too?  Why didn’t he realize that watching him die, watching the ship explode made him feel like a failure, like he couldn’t save any of the people he cared about?

Ahsoka shrugged.  “He’s been really busy since he returned, Master.  And you haven’t been answering your comm,” she answered.

Cold anger rushed into him, and Anakin embraced it this time.  “Well, once he decides that he has time for me, let him know that I don’t want to talk to him.  Or you or Obi-Wan,” he bit back, turning around and walking away quickly before she could follow.

As he walked away, his commlink beeped.  He looked at it and raised his eyebrows.  The Chancellor wanted to see him again.  _Well, at least I have one person who actually cares about me,_ he thought, typing a quick message back to Palpatine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think; comments make me so happy :)
> 
> (Also I didn't edit this as much as I usually do; if there are typos/errors feel free to point them out)


	10. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything spirals out of control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you for all the support for this story. It really is a big encouragement for me. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“You look distressed, my boy.”

Palpatine’s voice was calm and soothing, and Anakin found himself relaxing into his chair slightly.  Just talking to someone who actually _cared_ was helping; he felt the tension in his muscles loosen just a bit.  Anakin exhaled, closing his eyes briefly.  Everything was going to be _fine_.

“I just…” Anakin opened his eyes, trying to formulate his thoughts into words.  “Master Qui-Gon is still _alive_ ,” he managed, and the Chancellor’s eyebrows shot upward.

“Really?” Palpatine asked, steepling his fingers.  He looked genuinely shocked to hear this.  “You told me, Anakin, that you watched him die.”

Anakin nodded.  “I know; I don’t know how he survived, but I was the last person to find out when he returned.  He didn’t even bother contacting me.  Even _Ahsoka_ found out before I did!  She was the one who told me,” he explained.  The emotions—the anger, passion, and _fury_ —burned in his stomach, and it felt _good_.

Palpatine sighed slowly.  “Oh, Anakin,” he responded.  “The Jedi aren’t perfect; surely you realize that.  There is a valid reason, I’m sure, that Master Jinn did not contact you immediately.  Surely he knows just how important you are.”

Important?  He surely didn’t feel that way, even though he was believed to be the Chosen One.  The Council never allowed him to do anything, and while Obi-Wan has loosened up with his overbearing nature, Anakin knew that he had doubts about his own capabilities, which was ridiculous.  Anakin was gifted; he knew what he was doing.  But no one seemed to believe him or trust him.

Palpatine continued talking.  “My sources told me that Dooku survived, so I was wondering if Master Jinn had as well,” he began.

Anakin started.  Of course, if Master Qui-Gon survived the explosion, then there was an even greater chance that Dooku survived as well, which was just…terrible.  He sighed.  “Dooku’s still alive, then?” he asked, deadpan.  It wasn’t _fair_ , but what could he do about it now?  If Dooku was still alive, it meant that the war wasn’t actually over, that the Separatists could reunite and strike against the Republic.

It meant chaos.

“You misunderstand me, my boy,” the Chancellor responded, one eyebrow arched.  His smile was gentle and soothing, and the anxiety that gripped Anakin at the thought of Dooku’s survival subsided slightly.  “Dooku survived the explosion, but my… _contact_ was able to track him down.  He found his body.  It seems someone killed him…using a lightsaber,” Palpatine explained, still smiling.

Anakin started.  “Are you sure, Chancellor?  Dooku is— _was—_ a _Sith Lord_.  They’re particularly hard to get rid of, especially for a non-Jedi, sir,” he rambled.  Dooku was a threat; perhaps his death now will rid Anakin of his nightmares, of his worry about Padmé.

“I am quite sure, my boy.”

Anakin nodded shakily.  Something didn’t feel right, but he pushed the feeling away.  This was _right_.  Dooku was actually gone now; the Senate would be more open to ending the war and bringing peace to the galaxy.  But still, something was…off.  “I…I should inform the Council,” Anakin stammered, pulling himself to his feet.

Palpatine gave a sharp nod, eyes glinting.  “Of course, my boy,” he replied, lips twisting into a smile.  “I know you will do what you must.”

Anakin turned around left without another word, heart pounding in his ears.

* * *

“It’s good to be home,” Obi-Wan admitted as he sat down on the couch with a smile.  He was discharged from the Healer’s about an hour ago, having reported almost no pain for a full day, as per Master Che’s wishes.

When Qui-Gon arrived at the Healer’s that morning, however, the head healer gave him a bag full of hyposprays and pills (analgesics, sedatives, and antiemetics, mostly) and strict instructions about Obi-Wan’s sleeping and eating schedule for the next few days.  Master Che also gave permission for Obi-Wan to start doing light katas, but she told Qui-Gon that he most likely will feel too tired for the next few days to do much physical activity.

At the moment, though, Obi-Wan didn’t seem particularly tired; he seemed more refreshed than Qui-Gon has ever seen him since arriving in this time.  A part of Qui-Gon wondered if it was an act or if Obi-Wan was actually feeling that healthy right now.  He decided he’ll find out soon enough.

Qui-Gon smiled at him, putting the bag on a side table.  “Do you want tea?” he asked. 

“I can make it, Master,” Obi-Wan answered, moving to stand up.

Qui-Gon shook his head.  “It’s fine, I’ll do it,” he said, letting Obi-Wan sit back down on the couch.  “Sapir?”

Obi-Wan paused for a moment, then nodded.  Qui-Gon smiled and walked into the kitchen to begin making the tea.

Ten minutes later, Qui-Gon walked out of the kitchen holding two mugs of steaming tea to see Obi-Wan stretched out on the couch, eyes closed.  As soon as Qui-Gon walked closer, Obi-Wan’s eyes snapped open and he shifted into a seating position.

“Were you sleeping?” Qui-Gon asked, smirking slightly.  It amused him to see Obi-Wan take naps now, considering he never did it as a Padawan.

His former padawan chuckled.  “More like dozing, I think,” he answered, easily sensing Qui-Gon’s amusement.  He took the mug of tea from Qui-Gon with a grateful smile and began to drink it slowly.  Qui-Gon sat on the armchair next to Obi-Wan.  “So,” Obi-Wan began, changing the topic, “regarding these inhibitor chips…a unit under Master Windu’s command will be examined tomorrow.”

Qui-Gon’s eyes widened.  “I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.  Usually the Council takes a few days to decide on things, at least in my time it was like that,” he admitted.

“No, that didn’t really change,” Obi-Wan responded, then laughed slightly.  “I had a lot of free time yesterday, so I sent a _lot_ of messages to all the Council members, telling them to start this right away.”

Qui-Gon blinked.  “Oh,” he answered.  Having Obi-Wan on the Council was clearly an advantage, even when he wasn’t able to attend the meetings.  “Thank you.”

Obi-Wan nodded.  “Tomorrow we’ll discuss any findings from those examinations and decide what we’ll do next.  If you’re needed for additional information that Dex might have told you, I’ll send you a message,” he continued, taking another long sip of tea.  He yawned, jaw cracking, then placed the empty mug on the table next to him.

“Sleepy?” Qui-Gon teased, and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

“Are you in contact with Dooku, Master?” Obi-Wan asked now, serious again.

Qui-Gon nodded the affirmative.  “I haven’t heard from him in a while, though,” he admitted, frowning slightly.  “He might just be busy.”  Then he blinked and his eyes widened.  “He wanted me to tell you something, though,” Qui-Gon recalled.

Obi-Wan’s head tilted in confusion.  “Me?” he asked, surprise coloring his voice.

“It’s regarding the Sith Master, apparently.  He told me to tell you that he didn’t lie on Geonosis,” Qui-Gon explained.

Obi-Wan stared at him for a long time and then shook his head.  “What does that mean?” he asked, frowning deeply.  His right hand stroked his beard as he thought.

“I don’t know,” Qui-Gon answered.  “I thought you might know what he meant…”

Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment then groaned.  “A lot has happened since Geonosis, and my brain isn’t… _working properly_ , Master; I can’t _remember_ ,” he muttered.  He frowned, looking as though he was trying to remember a fleeting moment that happened _years_ ago, though Qui-Gon knew it must have been less than that.  Obi-Wan’s Force presence was suddenly flooded with frustration, and Qui-Gon felt it simmering along the bond.

“Obi-Wan, it’s _fine_ ,” Qui-Gon said, sitting forward to place a hand on Obi-Wan’s knee.  “You’re still recovering, and I’m sure it will come to you eventually.  Give it some _time_ ,” he instructed.

Obi-Wan tensed for a second and then deflated, back sinking into the couch.  “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

Qui-Gon smiled gently.  “It’s not your fault, padawan,” he murmured.

The smile that Obi-Wan gave him was small and slightly watery.  “No one has called me that in _years_ , you know.”

“I know.”

The silence that followed was deafening.  “I…don’t know how I managed all these years without you, Master.”  Obi-Wan’s voice was quiet, almost impossible to hear.  “And it sounds like attachment, _I know_ , but…I missed you.”

Qui-Gon nodded.  “It will all be fine, Obi-Wan.  I know you’re worried about Anakin, but once he comes home we’ll talk with him,” he said, rubbing Obi-Wan’s knee slightly.

Obi-Wan relaxed more into the couch, eyes closing.  “That’s…good,” he whispered.  The liveliness that seemed to surround him when they first walked into the apartment had given way to sleepy exhaustion.

“Get some sleep,” Qui-Gon murmured, just _slightly_ tinging his voice with the Force, and Obi-Wan obeyed with a quiet exhale.  Qui-Gon watched him for a moment, just to be sure he was actually sleeping, before he stood and moved Obi-Wan’s legs so he was lying down properly on the couch.  He then covered Obi-Wan with a light blanket and dimmed the lights before picking up a datapad and sat back down on the armchair.

* * *

Ahsoka ran down the hallway, quickly typing in the codes to the apartment before she raced inside.  She paused when she saw that the lights were dim, and looked towards the living area.  Master Qui-Gon, seated at the armchair, was looking up at her, a finger resting on his lips.  He then gestured towards the couch, where Master Obi-Wan was fast asleep, lying on his back.

“Something important happened,” she mouthed to Master Qui-Gon, not wanting to wake up the sleeping Jedi.  Master Qui-Gon nodded and stood up and began to walk towards her.  He stopped when Master Obi-Wan suddenly shifted before his eyes flicked open.

“Ahsoka?” he asked, squinting at her.  His voice sounded rough, still thick with sleep.  Then he frowned.  “Something’s wrong…”  He rubbed at his eyes before he sat up slowly.  “Where’s Anakin?”

Ahsoka shrugged.  “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully.  She moved forward and sat down next to him, and Master Qui-Gon sat down again in the armchair.

“What happened?” Master Qui-Gon asked her.

She glanced at them both before answering.  “The Council sent me,” she answered.  “They just received reports that Dooku’s body has been found, on Serenno.”

Master Qui-Gon blinked.  “No, that’s impossible; I just spoke with him this morning,” he said.  “We have a private channel.”  He pulled out his commlink and scrolled through his messages with Dooku, seeing that they last communicated by text this morning.

Ahsoka shook her head.  “His body is on the way to Coruscant, per the Council’s wishes,” she said.  “He was killed by a lightsaber, Masters.”

Master Obi-Wan closed his eyes, clearly saddened by this information.  “The Sith Master,” he murmured.

Master Qui-Gon shook his head.  “ _No_ ,” he whispered.  “I wanted to save him, but…” A tear slipped down his cheek. 

Ahsoka continued talking.  “His lightsaber was next to him, destroyed, but he didn’t have a commlink,” she said.

“It’s possible that whoever did it took the commlink and is communicating with you, Qui-Gon,” Master Obi-Wan guessed, and rubbed at his eyes again.  He still looked half-asleep, but Ahsoka wasn’t going to comment on that.

Color fled from Master Qui-Gon’s face and he stood.  “Oh, no,” he murmured.  “Dex is in trouble, and so are all his contacts, which means…”

“Means what?” Ahsoka asked, confused about who Dex was.

“If it is the Sith Master who has Dooku’s commlink,” Master Obi-Wan deduced, “then they _know_ that we’re investigating the inhibitor chips, from Dooku’s communication with Qui-Gon.  And that means that the Kaminoans will find out soon if word spreads fast enough.  They can activate the chips.” His eyes widened.

“Obi-Wan and I are going to check on Dex.  Ahsoka—you wait for Dooku’s body to arrive and see if you can get any hints on who killed him.  We don’t have _evidence_ that it was the Sith Master,” Master Qui-Gon commanded.  “Let the Council know that active Jedi need to be wary of the clones, in case anything happens.”

Ahsoka nodded after a long moment.  “Yes, Master,” she said, standing up.  “If you find Anakin…”

Master Obi-Wan stood too, face grim.  “You’ll be the first to know, padawan,” he said reassuringly.

* * *

By the time Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan got into a speeder, Coruscant had transitioned into evening rush hour, which meant no matter how hard they tried, the journey would take them at least half an hour.

Qui-Gon relaxed his tight grip on the speeder’s wheel and sank back in his chair.  He couldn’t believe it.  Because of his _ignorance_ , Dooku was now dead, and any advantage they held over the Sith was gone and was now turned against them.

Obi-Wan’s hand hovered over his lightsaber, face tight.  He turned to Qui-Gon.  “Have you received word from Dex?” he asked.  Qui-Gon tried to contact him, _multiple times_ , since Ahsoka spoke to them, but received no reply.

Qui-Gon shook his head.

“I have a feeling, Master,” Obi-Wan mumbled, looking out into the sky.  “I know you…the last time I told you this, you ended up _dead_ , so don’t dismiss it.”

Qui-Gon swallowed.  He very clearly remembered telling his padawan to ignore that bad feeling, on the Trade Federation’s ship, only a few weeks ago, in his mind.  “I won’t,” he murmured.  “I have no right to.”

Qui-Gon inched the speeder forward, just as the Force _screamed_ in warning.  Obi-Wan’s shout came immediately after.  “Master!”

Something _crashed_ into the side of the speeder, and Qui-Gon gasped as they were jerked sideways.  Qui-Gon fell sideways, crashing onto the door of the speeder.  His head slammed onto the door, and he reeled forward, gasping from the pain that shot through his skull.  By the time he recovered and looked up, he saw that Obi-Wan, still seated in the passenger’s seat, was trying to fly the speeder.

He looked forward and saw that the engine was on fire.  That probably wasn’t good.  He blinked, feeling blood seep down from the left side of his head onto his temple.  The world was slightly blurry, and he tried to focus, tried to _think_ of what he could do.

Qui-Gon could tell that Obi-Wan was struggling to keep the speeder afloat; the engine was damaged well beyond the point of repair, and the fact that they were moving _downward_ probably meant that…

“Master!” Obi-Wan shouted over the roar of the engine.  “We need to jump!”

Qui-Gon shook his head, trying to pull himself out of his stupor, but the movement lanced pain down his skull, and he hissed.  He gathered the Force around him and sat up more properly, seeing a relatively flat rooftop that they could land on.  “Right there!” he pointed out to Obi-Wan, coughing from the smoke.

“Jump!” Obi-Wan cried out, and Qui-Gon did, landing on the rooftop with a groan from the movement.  He was pretty sure he was concussed.  Obi-Wan landed smoothly moments later, and they watched as the speeder, still in the sky, exploded.

“What happened?” Qui-Gon asked, still lying on the ground.  _Force_ , his head hurt.

Obi-Wan stood from his crouched position and looked towards him, finally seeing the blood on his face.  He cursed before he ran over to Qui-Gon’s side.  “I’ll call the Temple,” he told Qui-Gon, and pulled out his commlink.

The Force blared in warning, once again.  “Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon shouted, and his former padawan whirled around, lightsaber ignited just in time to block a red one that was about to cut into him.

Qui-Gon looked up at the wielder.  It was a woman, using two lightsabers with familiar-looking curved hilts.  His vision blurred, but he saw grey skin and a bald head.  He tried to get up to help Obi-Wan, but the movement caused him even more dizziness and fell on his back, spent.

* * *

Ventress shouted in frustration, moving both lightsabers in a whirlwind.  Obi-Wan focused on blocking her blows, hoping to tire her out before he tried to disarm her.  He exhaled slowly, gathering the Force before he pushed her away and activated his commlink and dialed.

“Anakin!” he shouted into the commlink, not knowing if he’d answered.  Ventress jumped forward with more vigor now, and Obi-Wan blocked again, limbs shaking only slightly.  So much for doing _light katas_ for the next few days, as Master Che had wanted.

Before he could say anything else into his commlink, Ventress let out another shout, pulling the commlink out of his left hand with the Force and destroying it with a lightsaber.

Well, there went that plan.  He just had to hope Anakin got his message.  The Sith acolyte rushed at him again, with more vigor, and he blocked again.  “It’s been so long, my dear,” he said finally.  He looked up at a nearby rooftop.  He could use the environment to his advantage.  Leaving Qui-Gon alone, unconscious, on a rooftop may not be the _best_ thing to do, but he couldn’t risk having Ventress injure him further.

“Shut _up_ , Kenobi!” Ventress shouted.

“May I ask why you’re visiting Coruscant?” Obi-Wan asked, rotating slightly.  Ventress followed, eyes bright with anger.  Her left blade swiped upwards, but he anticipated it early enough, jumping back a bit further.

“My master is _dead_ , and it’s your fault!” she screamed.

Oh.  Right.  He should have _seen_ this coming.  “I was sorry to found out about his passing,” Obi-Wan admitted.

The Sith acolyte screamed once again, and with every ounce of her raw power, pushed into him with the Force.  Obi-Wan took the brunt of the hit, mostly due to surprise, and landed a few feet away on his back.

Ventress immediately jumped towards him before he even had a chance to recover, swinging downwards towards his chest, and he blocked it just in time, breathing heavily.  His face was drenched in sweat, and his arms trembled against the weight of both her lightsabers.  She began to push down even further, closer to his middle.  He could feel the heat of the three lightsabers _inches_ away.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly, gathered the Force around him, and pushed Ventress off before he pulled himself to his feet, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his left hand.  Ventress attacked again, moments later, each strike aggressive and powerful.  He normally didn’t struggle this much against Ventress and he knew that he was beginning to over-exert himself.

He reached out into the Force to Anakin, but their bond was blocked.  He blinked.  When did _that_ happen?  Qui-Gon was still unconscious, so he couldn’t exactly contact him.  Obi-Wan exhaled, jumping up to another rooftop.  Maybe he could reach out to Ahsoka?  They had a bond, of sorts, but he didn’t know if it was strong enough for him to use.  Well, there was only one way to find out.

It turned out the bond wasn’t strong enough for him to communicate with _words_ exactly, so he sent her an impression of _danger_ and _get help_ , and hoped it was enough.  It was getting even more difficult for him to block Ventress’ blows; one slipped past his guard and almost lopped off his left arm, but he jerked backwards quick enough for the lightsaber to only just barely scorch his tunic at his shoulder.  He hissed at the burn, but ignored it.

“Ventress,” he gasped.  “Listen to me.  I _know_ you’re upset, but Dooku was helping us in the end.  He knew that the Sith Master was going to turn against him, and he decided to help us find a way to defeat him.  You don’t need to do this,” he pleaded.

Ventress paused before she swiped her right saber at him, and he ducked, ignoring the dizziness the movement caused.  “Stop telling me what to _do_ , Kenobi!” she exclaimed.  “You have no right!”  She flung her hand out with another Force push, and Obi-Wan flew backwards, landing at a lower rooftop far away.

“ _Force_ ,” he muttered to himself.  His body ached now from landing so harshly on the rooftop.  His head was beginning to throb at the base of his skull, but he couldn’t tell if it was from the impact.

Ventress landed lightly on her feet a few feet away, and he pulled himself to his feet, twirling his lightsaber before she struck.  His arms trembled even more, and he felt her push on the blades as they moved closer to him again.

He felt another presence arrive, and he turned to see Anakin running up to them and swinging his lightsaber to meet one of Ventress’.  “Took you long enough,” Obi-Wan called, internally sighing in relief.  Anakin didn’t reply, but began to attack Ventress even more aggressively.  She began to struggle to meet all of Anakin’s blows, and soon enough, Anakin cut his saber into her arm and she dropped with a pained shout.  Her lightsabers were pulled out of her hands and placed on Anakin’s belt.

Anakin walked up to Ventress, eyes almost black.  Obi-Wan frowned.  What was he _doing_? 

“Anakin?” he asked, watching as Anakin placed his lightsaber right by Ventress’ throat.  “We need to arrest her, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said loudly, walking up to Anakin.

“She doesn’t _deserve_ to live,” Anakin muttered.

A strange emotion clawed into Obi-Wan’s stomach, and he stared at Anakin.  Something was _wrong_.  “Anakin, think about this,” he managed.  “Qui-Gon is hurt; he needs the healers.  Ventress can give us information about the Sith.  If you strike her down, not only are you going against the Jedi way, but you’ll be robbing us of that information.”

Ventress grinned up at Anakin.  “What are you going to _do_ , Skywalker?” she taunted.  As if she took pleasure in Anakin’s inner turmoil.

Anakin stared at her, breathing quickly.  “I…” he trailed off, and glanced at Obi-Wan, his eyes wide with fear.

“It’s okay to be scared, Anakin,” he murmured.  And with that, Anakin closed his eyes and nodded, pulling out a set of Force-suppressor cuffs from the pouch on his belt and snapping them around Ventress’ wrists.

Obi-Wan exhaled in relief.  He wanted nothing more than to sleep right now, but he couldn’t now, not when Qui-Gon was injured, Anakin was teetering on the edge of sanity, and Dex was still in danger.  He breathed again.  Obi-Wan could deal with his exhaustion later, when there was time, but now he needed to focus on the moment at hand.  He looked up at Anakin.  “Do you have your commlink?” he asked.  Anakin nodded, and handed it over to him.

With a deep breath, Obi-Wan began to contact the Council.

* * *

While Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Ventress were sent back to the Temple, Obi-Wan insisted on completing Qui-Gon’s mission: checking on Dex.  When he arrived at the diner, however, the place was burned completely to the ground, and it was surrounded by Coruscant police.  He closed his eyes in anguish, feeling _death_ ringing in the Force.

After talking to some of the investigators, he discovered that a few bodies were found, including that of a Besalisk.  Obi-Wan inhaled, rubbing at the gnawing ache at his temple.  _Force_.  “Is it Dex?  The owner of this diner?” he asked the officer, who nodded solemnly.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes.  “Thank you,” he murmured, and then walked away back to his speeder, eyes downcast.

“Wait!” the officer called.

Obi-Wan turned around, and saw a commlink in his hands.  “We found this on the scene, but don’t really know what to make of it.  It was found right next to Dex’s body,” he explained.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, and took the commlink into his hands.  He looked at the screen, at the single new message that now flashed on the screen from an unknown, untraceable source.  The message was one word.  A single word.

“ _Soon_.”

* * *

Commander Cody sat in one of the hangars of the Temple, waiting.  His general contacted him a few minutes ago, telling that there was something of vital importance to discuss, and that he would be coming back to the Temple in a few minutes.  General Kenobi’s voice was perfectly serious over the commlink; he knew something _big_ had been happening with the Jedi, but no one gave him the details.  None of the brothers that he spent a lot of time with knew what was going on, either.  It was a mystery.

He wondered if it had to do with the fact that the war was ending, and the Jedi didn’t exactly _know_ what to do with the clones.  Maybe they intended on…eliminating the clones?  _No_.  The Jedi _cared_ , that much was clear.  General Kenobi did everything he could, during every single mission, to make sure that every single clone under his command survived.  And any time that _didn’t_ happen, he grieved just as fiercely as any other clone would.  There was no way he would allow the Jedi to…get rid of the clones, without a second thought.  No.  It had to be something else.

He looked around the hangar, at the few Jedi who were returning or leaving from the Temple.  It was approaching night, but it seemed to him that the Temple was always active, even at the oddest of hours.  Oh well.  He knew that some Jedi had some…interesting schedules, to say the least.

His commlink beeped, and he pulled it out and pressed the answer button without looking at who was contacting him.  A hologram flickered into existence.  A hologram of a hooded figure…Cody was confused to see that, and was about to ask who it was, but then the figure spoke.

_“Commander Cody,”_ the figure hissed, and suddenly, it seemed as though _something_ in his mind just…snapped into place.  He stood slowly, awaiting his orders.

_“Execute Order 66.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> Exams suck, so honestly I have no idea when I'll update, especially considering I have an exam in about eight hours and I'm just posting fic instead of studying so...
> 
> I guess expect the next chapter within the next two weeks?


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm so sorry this took long, my life took a complete 180 and I had to address that before getting this chapter completed. Thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos and subscribed and bookmarked! You are all amazing :)
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

Death rang in the Force as Obi-Wan landed his speeder in the hangar.  Horror steeped through his veins as he saw a Padawan get struck in the chest by a blaster bolt.  He jumped out of the speeder, pulling his lightsaber off his belt as he landed on his feet and turned towards the shooter.

 _Cody_.

Cody, holding a blaster that pointed right at him, with blank amber eyes.

“Cody, what are you doing?” Obi-Wan asked.  He _couldn’t_ harm Cody, not now, not when he was under the influence of some Sith-created inhibitor chip.  Cody wouldn’t do this.  He wouldn’t _kill_ unnecessarily.

“Good soldiers follow orders,” his commander hissed, pulling the trigger on his blaster.  Obi-Wan ignited his saber and blocked the bolt, letting it fly to the side.

“You’re not acting like yourself, Cody,” Obi-Wan continued, taking a few steps forward.  “This isn’t you.”

Cody barked out a harsh laugh.  “You never knew me,” the clone spat, shooting again.  Obi-Wan blocked it easily, then reached for his commlink.  Then he remembered that Ventress had destroyed it earlier that day and he had no electronic means to contact anyone right now.

 _Oh_.  That was not good.  He wondered distantly if _all_ the clone’s chips were activated; if that were the case, then…the Jedi were facing possible genocide.  Possible extinction.  He looked behind him, at the bodies of some Padawans and Knights that were caught off guard by Cody’s blaster.

“Cody, _please_ ,” he tried.  Cody moved quickly, stealthily enough to know how to combat a Force-sensitive being.

Cody answered by shooting a flurry of bolts at him, and he blocked them all, sending them carefully to various points around the hangar.  “I don’t want to hurt you,” Obi-Wan admitted. 

Obi-Wan exhaled and reached into the Force for Master Yoda.  _Put the Temple in lockdown,_ he told the grandmaster before reaching for Anakin.  The bond was still _blocked_.  He sighed in frustration and turned his focus on Cody, who now held two blasters in his hand.

Cody shot a dozen bolts in a split-second, and he blocked a few of them before sending one right back to the blaster in Cody’s right hand.  The blaster sparked, and Cody dropped it with a hissed curse.  “Kriffing _Jedi_ ,” Cody grunted in a tone Obi-Wan had never heard him use.

 _Think_.  How could Obi-Wan stop Cody without harming him?  Force suggestion?

Obi-Wan reached into the Force, and quickly pulled the second blaster out of Cody’s hand before he could shoot again.  He knew for a fact that Cody had even more weapons on him, but he could use this moment _now_ to his advantage.

He reached into the Force, to Cody’s mind, trying to find the inhibitor chip.  It _had_ to be there; there was no other explanation.  Cody wouldn’t do this on his own, not like this.  But he couldn’t find anything, and the effort was costing him time and energy, and the pain that was previously gnawing slightly at his temple exploded into raw agony.  Obi-Wan shuddered, refusing to give in to the pain.

Even if he couldn’t find the chip right now, there was still something he could do before Cody acted.  _“Sleep_ ,” he commanded, speaking both in Cody’s mind and aloud, and the clone collapsed into full unconsciousness.  Obi-Wan watched him for a moment, wavered, and then fell onto his knees with an exhausted sigh.

“Obi-Wan!”

Anakin was running up to him.  Obi-Wan couldn’t summon the energy to stand at the moment, so he waited for Anakin to kneel next to him, face white.

“What the kriff _happened_?” Anakin asked when he saw Cody crumpled on the floor across from him and all the dead bodies around the hangar.

Obi-Wan exhaled slowly.  “The inhibitor chips were activated.  Are there any other attacks happening in the Temple?  Are there any clones inside right now?” he asked.

Anakin’s eyes widened.  “Not that I know of,” he answered.  “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I just…” He trailed off as the Force shuddered in agony, death shaking in its depths.  “We must hurry.”  Obi-Wan pulled himself to his feet.  There was no time to waste.

* * *

“Is he alright?” Obi-Wan asked, looking at Qui-Gon’s still form.

“He has a minor concussion,” answered Bant, looking up at Obi-Wan.  “I know that…he will want to help, with the clones.  And it might be necessary for him to do so.  Just make sure he’s careful, Obi,” she sighed.  Then she placed a gentle hand on his arm.  “And you _please_ be careful too,” she murmured.

Obi-Wan exhaled.  The Temple was now on lockdown, just barely holding back the clones that marched on its steps.  The Force was keening in agony, and Anakin was…lost and confused.  Everything was falling out of place; everything was going _wrong_ now, and Obi-Wan barely had time to even think about or process what had just happened.  Dooku’s death, then Dex’s not long after.  Qui-Gon’s injury.  Anakin’s slow withdrawal into himself, refusing to speak to Obi-Wan or even Ahsoka about what happened weeks ago on Dooku’s ship.

It was too much.

There were only a few clones inside the Temple when the chips were activated, Cody included.  They were all now sedated and gathered in a separate room in the Ward.  Eventually the Council would have to decide what they were going to do with them, but for now…

“I have to meet with the Council to decide what we must do.  We must see what Ventress can tell us about the Sith Master,” he murmured.  “Let me know when Qui-Gon wakes.”  He didn’t move, however, just continued to watch Qui-Gon as he slept, face creased into a frown.  Obi-Wan’s arms were wrapped tightly around himself, his body almost completely rigid.

“You’re in pain,” she realized.

“I’m sorry,” he responded, voice cracking slightly.  A slight betrayal of his mask that showed her the truth.  “I know I told Master Che I wouldn’t let it get this far, but…this is an extraordinary circumstance, Bant.  I can’t just…stay here while all this is _happening_.”

She sighed.  She was sure, _so_ sure that Obi-Wan would get better now, that everything was going to be fine, but now…?  Now the Jedi were facing possible extinction, by the clones that fought alongside them once upon a time.  By the Sith.

“Just…let me help right now, Obi,” she said softly.

His eyes, watering slightly, softened before he sat down at the chair by Qui-Gon’s bed.  She watched as his eyes flickered shut for a moment and he breathed shakily before opening them again and looking up at her, almost expectantly.  She felt his shields lower, one by one, until she felt the pain that raged in his mind at that moment, and she hissed softly.

“I’ll get a hypospray,” she said, turning towards the exit without waiting for Obi-Wan’s response.

* * *

_“Anakin?”_

Anakin exhaled a sigh of relief at the sight of his wife’s holographic form, staring up at him with no small amount of emotion in her eyes.  He was able to comm her from his apartment once he arrived back to an empty apartment.  “Padmé,” he breathed, voice a trembling whisper.  “I was so worried,” he admitted.  “I must see you.”

She shook her head.  _“Something has happened, Ani,”_ she said, her eyebrows twisted into a frown.  _“The Chancellor, he…he declared the Jedi as enemies of the Republic.”_

The cold feeling knotted in his stomach seemed to deepen and swallow him whole. He blinked in surprise.  “What?” he breathed.

Padmé’s eyes were wide with passion, with a _determination_ to make things right.  But if she got involved…the image of her dead body flickered in front of him, a constant reminder of what _could_ happen, what _will_ happen.  Soon.  “Why…?” he managed with a dry mouth.

She shook her head, image flickering slightly.  _“It’s not clear…he claimed that the Jedi were responsible for the war.  That the only reason the war happened was because of a vendetta the Separatist leaders had against the Jedi, not against the Republic.  That the Jedi have been letting this war go on for so long for only their benefit,”_ she answered, forehead creased into a frown.  _“I know that is not true, Ani, but—”_

He shook his head.  Where did the Chancellor get that idea?  Anakin knew that the Chancellor wasn’t exactly… _happy_ with the Jedi of late, and Anakin did agree with that sentiment on some levels, but that didn’t mean they were enemies of the Republic.  “I must speak with him,” he realized.

_“But if you leave, the clones might…”_

“Don’t worry about that, Padmé,” he responded.  “I can escape the Temple undetected and speak to him.  Stay where you are.”

 _“Anakin, there is a lot of disagreement in the Senate and in the general public about this.  It’s disturbing, how some people feel about the Jedi now,”_ she explained.  _“Be careful, Ani; I…I feel like something is about to go terribly wrong.”_

And as much as Anakin agreed with her, he shook his head and smiled instead.  “I’ll be fine, Padmé,” he said with a smile.  After saying goodbye, he shut off the comm and quickly gathered his belongings before leaving the apartment, not once noticing the teenage Togruta that stood in the shadows, well out of his line of vision, having heard every single word of the conversation.

* * *

Asajj Ventress blinked harshly at the sudden influx of sunlight as Obi-Wan entered the cell with Mace Windu.  The Sith acolyte sat up, appearing much calmer than she was earlier, when she attacked Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.  The binders encircling her wrists prevented her from accessing the Force, thankfully.

“What do you want?” she hissed.  Even without the Force, Ventress was dangerous, but there was little time to prepare.  Eventually, the clones would either break through the Temple’s defenses or the Jedi would have to confront the Sith and find a way to deactivate the chips.  There was little choice now.

“We need to know if you know anything about the Sith Master’s identity,” Mace said.  His face was as stern as usual, but there were a few more lines on his forehead, and Obi-Wan could tell that the older Master had very little patience for anything right now.  Obi-Wan would comment on the irony of that, but now was hardly the time or place for that.  There were many more pressing matters.

Ventress barked out a laugh.  “What makes you that if I knew anything, I would tell you?  My master is _dead_ because of you!” she cried.  “The Jedi failed him when he needed them the most, and you and your precious _Council_ never even realized it.”  Ventress’ voice was dripping with cold anger, with pure passion.

“I am sorry about Dooku’s death, Ventress,” Obi-Wan responded, “but he was helping us in the end, as I told you before.  He discovered that the Sith Master was only using him for his own benefit.  I wouldn’t say that he turned back to the Light, but…he wanted to help us defeat the Sith Master before it was too late.”

“Our clones are marching on this Temple,” Mace said.  “They are being controlled by inhibitor chips that were placed by the Sith.

“Good,” Ventress spat, eyes bright.  “The Jedi have taken _everything_ away from me.  You deserve this.”

“It may be time for the Jedi to _change_ ,” Obi-Wan responded, ignoring the surprised look that Mace was now giving him.  “And you can help us with that, Ventress.  But we need to find a way to defeat the Sith Master _now_ , before he strikes again and it’s too late,” he pressed.

The Sith acolyte sighed and leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms as much as she could with the binders restricting her movement.  “What do you need to know, Kenobi?” she asked.

* * *

“I’m glad to see you’re okay, Master,” Ahsoka said, sitting down at Qui-Gon’s bedside.  The Jedi Master simply raised an eyebrow in response.  “A lot has happened in the past few hours, but Master Kenobi said he’ll be here soon to talk to you,” she said.

“What exactly happened?” Master Qui-Gon asked.  There was a bacta patch on the side of his head, held in place by a bandage wrapped neatly around his head.  Luckily his concussion was not too major; Master Che simply wanted to check in on him before he was discharged.

“You were attacked by Dooku’s apprentice, Asajj Ventress,” Ahsoka answered.  At Master Qui-Gon’s confused look, she continued talking.  “Dooku had a Sith assassin as an apprentice,” she explained.  “I’m guessing he never told you this?  When you were with him?”

“We didn’t exactly have time to _chat_ about our daily lives,” he muttered, and Ahsoka suppressed a snort.  She could see where Master Kenobi got his dry sense of humor from.  The similarity was almost astounding at times.

“There’s something else, Master,” she continued.  Her fingers were tangled in her lap, and she kept thinking back to what she overheard in the apartment.  She didn’t _mean_ to overhear Anakin’s conversation with Senator Amidala; it just _happened_ , and by the time it was over, the deed was done.  How was she supposed to know what would happen?

Qui-Gon was studying her carefully now.  “I can sense your anxiety, young one,” he said, frowning slightly.

“It’s just…I overheard Master Skywalker talking to Senator Amidala, and…they’re married,” she blurted out, and then looked down, away from Master Qui-Gon’s piercing gaze.  She couldn’t bear the idea of overhearing such a personal conversation, but the deed was already done.

Qui-Gon chuckled, and she looked up at him.  “I already know, Ahsoka.  He told me,” he said.

“Oh,” Ahsoka answered.  The anxiety that seemed to consume her began to dissipate, though she had to ask— “You didn’t tell the Council, though?”

“I’m sure you’re aware that I don’t have the best relationship with the Council,” the Jedi Master answered with another laugh.  “Anakin asked me to not tell them, and I’ve promised him that I won’t.”

Ahsoka nodded.  She would do the same, in a heartbeat.  “But…does Master Kenobi know?” she asked.

Qui-Gon frowned, as though he was trying to remember something.  “I don’t think he does,” he said finally, voice quieter now.  “I told Anakin to tell Obi-Wan as soon as he told me…But you know that things are strained right now, between Anakin and Obi-Wan.”

 _Because of me_ , she wanted to say.  But she simply nodded.

“Now tell me why the Force feels so _wrong_ , Ahsoka,” Master Qui-Gon pressed.  His features were completely serious again, though a lot of it was off-set by the bandages wrapped around his head.

Ahsoka paused.  She didn’t want to be the one to tell Master Qui-Gon what happened.  That Dex was dead, that the chips were activated, that things were very quickly falling apart and the Order may cease to exist within the next few hours.  There was a lot depending on what the Council would decide to do next.

“The chips were activated,” she said finally.

Qui-Gon released a sigh.  “Just as we thought,” he answered.  His shoulders were slightly slumped now.  “What of Dex?” he asked, eyes tinged with hope.

Ahsoka stared at him for a long time before slowly shaking her head.  “I’m sorry, Master,” she said finally.  “The diner was burned to the ground.  There was nothing left.”

The door slid open, and Obi-Wan walked in.  He looked at Qui-Gon, relief shining in his eyes before he spoke.  “We have a lot to talk about,” he announced.

* * *

Anakin took a deep breath and glanced around his surroundings before he knocked on the Chancellor’s door.  There were usually a lot of clones in the Senate building, but they must have all been sent to the Temple, because he didn’t run into any here.

Sneaking out of the Temple was infinitely more difficult than usual.  All of his usual exits were blocked by clones.  He would have been fine with fighting his way through the clones to get out of the Temple, but that would attract too much attention from the Jedi, and that…that wouldn’t do.

He was lucky enough to find an empty exit and quickly left the Temple on a speeder before being spotted by the clones or the Jedi.  As he drove through Coruscant’s night sky, he saw that there was chaos throughout the city-planet.  Sirens were wailing, there was smoke filling the air, originating from multiple areas.  By the time he arrived at the Senate Building, he realized that _this_ , whatever is happening right now, was way worse than he imagined.

The Senate was not in session, but there were Senators milling about the building, but Anakin was easily able to sense them as he made his way to the Chancellor’s office.

Which lead him here, waiting for a response after knocking on the Chancellor’s door.  He _hoped_ Palpatine was alright.  That there would be a simple explanation for him declaring the Jedi to be enemies of the Republic.  This was probably a big misunderstanding, that’s all.

The door slid open, and Palpatine was standing in the doorway, flanked by two Red Guards.  “Anakin!” Palpatine exclaimed.  He moved out of the doorway, allowing Anakin to walk in.  “Do come in, my boy.  I didn’t think I would be seeing you today!” he exclaimed.

“I apologize for barging in on you like this, Chancellor,” Anakin began, “but, as I’m sure you know, a lot has happened, and I wanted to clarify some things.”  He followed Palpatine to his desk and sat down across from him as Palpatine settled into his larger chair.

“Of course, Anakin,” Palpatine responded, voice somber now.  “I realize this must be all sudden for you, but I must first assure you that you are an exception to the clones’ command, if you have not yet realized it.”

Anakin blinked.  “What do you mean?” he asked.  _An exception_?

Palpatine exhaled slowly.  Anakin suddenly realized the man must have been _exhausted_ , after everything that happened today.  The Republic, despite having won the war, was falling.  And it was falling fast.  What was going to happen to the Chancellor after all this was over?

“I know you are not an enemy of the Republic, Anakin,” Palpatine explained.  “I know what you have done for the Republic and for me, so I modified the order given to the clones.  They won’t hurt you, Anakin.  I’ve made sure of that.”

“But Chancellor,” Anakin protested.  “Why would you do all of this in the first place?”

Palpatine leaned back in his chair slightly and took another deep breath.  “Anakin, I’ve seen for a while that the Jedi don’t truly _care_ about the Republic.  They just want the power for themselves,” the Chancellor explained.

“Wait, I know the Jedi have done some questionable things, but that doesn’t mean—”

“ _Anakin_ ,” Palpatine cut him off, voice severe.  “Thank about everything that has happened recently.  Your own master and your padawan went behind your back on a mission, and that had disastrous consequences, as you have told me before,” he explained.

“Yeah, but—”

“Listen to me, Anakin,” Palpatine continued.  He was sitting upright again and his eyes were bright.  “Have you forgotten what happened to your mother?  The Jedi allowed her life to slip away from you, with no regard for how you felt about that.  You knew it was coming, but they chose to ignore that.  They don’t see your importance.”  Anakin blinked.  He hadn’t _forgotten_ about his mother’s death, no, but a lot has happened since…

“And just recently, Anakin, Master Kenobi still refuses to tell you what happened on Zigoola.  _You_ told me that it made you feel unappreciated, unwelcome,” Palpatine continued.

“But…” Anakin’s voice trailed off.  “Chancellor, these are _personal_ things for me.  This doesn’t mean that they deserve to die,” he managed, voice slightly strangled.

Palpatine gave him a sardonic smile.  “You’re right.  For what they’ve done to you, they don’t deserve it, though it does cast them in a negative light in my eyes,” he answered.  “But the Jedi have gone against the Senate’s wishes multiple times, especially throughout the course of this war.  I am fully aware of the fact that the Council doesn’t trust me, and that if I hadn’t made this declaration, that the Council would have attacked me first.”

Anakin frowned.  This was _too_ confusing.

“You are _powerful_ , Anakin,” Palpatine emphasized.  “You don’t need to be held back by the Jedi.  Let me help you, and you’ll have the power to save your wife.”

Anakin’s mouth went dry, and he swallowed, suddenly feeling very _cold_.  “What?” he whispered.  “What do you mean?”

“The Jedi are limited, Anakin.  They don’t look at all aspects of the Force.  They _refuse_ to consider the Dark Side at all.  And the Dark Side is _powerful_ ; it can give you even more power than you already have, Anakin.  You can save Senator Amidala from her fate,” Palpatine explained, eyes even brighter now.

Anakin stared at Palpatine, heart pounding so hard that he felt as though it might burst out of his chest.  His body felt _cold_ and he felt goosebumps forming on his arms.  The Force was keening at him; he couldn’t make sense of it at all, and Palpatine was just _staring_ at him calmly, waiting for him to react.  “You…Chancellor Palpatine,” he stuttered.  “Are you saying that you’re a Sith Lord?”

* * *

“Are you saying that _Chancellor Palpatine_ was the one who activated the inhibitor chips?” Obi-Wan asked, completely aghast.  Both he and Ahsoka sat on chairs next to Qui-Gon’s bed, and Qui-Gon was sitting up in his bed, feeling a lot better than he did after waking up in the Healer’s Ward.

“It seems that way, Master,” Ahsoka answered.  Her voice was quiet.  “But doesn’t that mean that he’s working with the Sith?” she asked.

“That might make sense,” Obi-Wan commented.  He was frowning deeply, fingers stroking his beard as he thought.  There were already shadows under his eyes—not as much as when Qui-Gon arrived to this time, but they were still very present.  He could feel pain running along the length of their bond, but it was hard for him to tell if it was the pain from his own concussion or from a migraine that Obi-Wan might be keeping from him right now.  “I was speaking to Ventress just now—she was saying that the Sith Master has access to a great amount of power, and, well…Chancellor Palpatine is no stranger to power,” he acknowledged.

“The Chancellor could be controlled by the Sith,” Qui-Gon concluded.

“But how?” Ahsoka asked.  “Is that even possible?”

The question gave way in a silence that lasted a few moments before Obi-Wan’s eyes widened.  Qui-Gon turned to him, feeling sudden _emotion_ emanating from his Force presence, though none of it leaked into his expression.

“Master,” Obi-Wan whispered.  “Dooku said…Dooku said that the Sith Lord is in _control_ of the Senate.  What if…” He frowned and paused, as though he was thinking about something.

“Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon asked.  Obi-Wan was unusually perceptive at times, so whatever he was thinking had a very good chance of being true.  But the dread that Qui-Gon could sense from Obi-Wan was concerning.  What was he thinking?

“What if the Chancellor is the Sith Lord?” Obi-Wan said finally.  His face was completely white now.  “And I…I let Anakin visit him for all these years, since he was a _boy_ and I allowed _this_ to happen and now he’s…” Obi-Wan was suddenly very quickly working himself into a panicked state.  Qui-Gon glanced at Ahsoka, whose eyes were wide and teary, before pulling himself forward and placing a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder.

“ _Breathe_ , Obi-Wan,” he murmured, feeling Obi-Wan’s shoulder rise under his palm as he took slow, shuddering breaths.  “You’re working yourself into a state.  Focus on the present,” he soothed.  He knew it had been a while since Obi-Wan had been so overwhelmed by anxiety, so to see it _now_ was certainly a surprise.

The panic bled quickly away into the Force, leaving Obi-Wan pale-faced, but calm.  He took a deep breath before speaking again.  “Whenever Anakin would visit the Chancellor, he would always return with his emotions more on edge than usual.  He would be very upset at times, though anytime I asked him about it, he would deny it completely,” he explained.

“He hasn’t been happy about what happened on Dooku’s ship.  Or about us leaving without him,” Ahsoka mentioned, rubbing at her eyes now.  “Anytime I tried to talk to him about it, he would just refuse to say _anything_.”

Obi-Wan shook his head.  “We need to get to the Chancellor’s office _now_ ,” he stated.  “Anakin most likely is there right now, and the Chancellor might…” He trailed off, unable to speak what was on his mind.

“He could make him Turn,” Qui-Gon murmured.  He found himself thinking of Xanatos, of the startling parallels between Anakin and Xanatos, and what ended up happening to him in the end.  _No_.  Anakin was not destined to that fate.

“Ideally, I would like to speak to the Council before going there, but…” Obi-Wan bit his lip and thought quickly.  “Ahsoka, I need you to tell the Council what’s happening.  Qui-Gon and I are going to meet with the Chancellor,” he decided.

Ahsoka’s eyes widened.  “No, I can help!” she exclaimed.

“You _can_ , Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan replied.  “But you are Anakin’s padawan, and he would never forgive me if I let something happen to you.  And the Council needs to know about the Chancellor.  Stay here and guard this Temple.  Tell the Council _everything_.”

Ahsoka stared at him for a few moments and then turned to Qui-Gon before she nodded.  Something in her eyes triggered a memory in Qui-Gon, and he blinked in surprise.  Of _course_.  “Ahsoka,” he said softly.  The Togruta padawan looked up at him, eyes shining with more complex emotion than he could understand right now.  “A few weeks before…well, Naboo, Master Koon took me to the crèche to meet a young Togruta girl he had found and brought to the Temple,” Qui-Gon began.

Ahsoka nodded.  “I remember, Master.  I didn’t realize that it was you until you came here, but you didn’t say anything, so I wasn’t sure,” she responded.

Why did it feel like he was saying goodbye?  Qui-Gon shook his head slightly.  No, this wasn’t goodbye; it _can’t_ be.  “We’ll be back soon.  With Anakin, hopefully,” he responded.  He stood slowly, pleased to feel no dizziness or pain from the movement.

The time has come.

* * *

“The time has come, Anakin,” the Sith Lord uttered.  “Take your place by my side as my apprentice, and we can rule this galaxy together _and_ save your wife.”  Palpatine’s voice was harsh and grating but cold.

Anakin stared at him.  The Force was silent.  Hell, everything was silent now.  The world seemed to hold its breath in anticipation.  But Anakin didn’t _know_.  He didn’t even know what to think anymore.

“Well?” Palpatine arched an eyebrow.  “What will it be, Anakin?”

He felt frozen, rooted to the ground.  “I…” he trailed off, utterly confused.  The Force whispered to him, so quietly that he couldn’t hear anything.  This was up to him entirely.  He _should_ call the Council, or go back to the Temple, or at least to Padmé.

Padmé.  He couldn’t and _wouldn’t_ live without her.  It was not an option.

“Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> So things are still a bit crazy so I'm hoping to update in two weeks, but we'll see how that goes. In case you haven't noticed, we are coming up to the end, so bear with me if I take a bit longer than usual to finish this story. Thank you again and pleaseee leave comments they make my day! :)


	12. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates!
> 
> I am so sorry that this took so long! Holidays are literally no joke and I had to deal with writer's block for quite a while for one scene early in this chapter.
> 
> Thank you for the continued support, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“Master Windu!”

Mace looked up from the holotable he was looking at to see Anakin Skywalker’s padawan running up to him, her eyes gleaming with distress.  “Yes, Padawan Tano?” he responded.  The Togruta’s Force presence was wracked with nervousness, an almost overwhelming anxiety he had not sensed from her since she was an Initiate.

“There’s—” she paused and swallowed, looking around at the other Council members gathered in the room.  They weren’t having an _official_ Council meeting, but Mace was about to send a distress signal to the Jedi outside of the Temple to not return to Coruscant.  At least for now, until the threat on the Jedi has passed and the clones were subdued.  But for now, Coruscant was the least safe place for the Jedi to be.  The thought of the Temple—the _home_ of the Jedi—being considered _dangerous_ was appalling.  But it was the truth.

“What is it, child?” Ki-Adi-Mundi asked gently, looking up from the holotable as well with a concerned expression on his face.

Ahsoka bit her lip before she spoke again.  “I’m afraid Master Skywalker left the Temple to go speak to Chancellor Palpatine,” she began.  “Master Kenobi and Master Jinn think that…”  She swallowed, eyes openly showing her anxiety now.  “They think that the Chancellor might be the Sith Lord.”

Mace closed his eyes briefly, allowing the shock and surprise to consume him for just a brief moment before releasing it to the Force and letting it dissipate.  There would be time, _later_ , once the crisis has passed, to react.  Right now, it was time to act.  He had to act.  _Now_.

“Tell me what happened, Padawan,” Mace commanded.  “From the beginning.”

* * *

“Something is going to happen.”

Qui-Gon opened his eyes slowly, pulling himself out of his meditation and turning towards Obi-Wan, who betrayed absolutely no emotion except for his hands tightly gripping the controls of the speeder.  His voice was only slightly strangled, and Qui-Gon couldn’t exactly tell through the fog in his own mind if Obi-Wan was completely alright, but…Anakin _needed_ Obi-Wan, even more than Qui-Gon now.  That much was clear.

Obi-Wan glanced at him before he swerved the speeder sideways, avoiding the view of a nearby Coruscant police speeder.  He was taking a less direct approach to the Senate building, to avoid detection.

“Don’t worry about that—”

“I wouldn’t _normally_ ,” Obi-Wan cut him off sharply as he turned the speeder at another quick, sickening angle, and Qui-Gon swallowed, pushing away his nausea to focus on Obi-Wan again.  There was something in his _eyes_ , something that spoke more volumes than his voice could.  “But Anakin did something.  I can’t reach him, and the Force feels wrong, Master.”

“I know,” Qui-Gon answered.  The Force did feel wrong; balance was very quickly slipping away, leading to pure _chaos_.

Obi-Wan fell silent and continued driving, eyebrows furrowed slightly.  Qui-Gon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes again, unsure of what to say.  What _could_ he say?  There was now the very real possibility of Anakin Turning.  The boy he found on Tatooine only a few weeks ago…the one he was _sure_ to be the Chosen One, now turning to the Dark Side? 

 _No_.  It sounded wrong, almost like swallowing a bitter poison.  Qui-Gon kept thinking of the boy who loved his mother so wholeheartedly, the boy who spoke about piloting and travelling amongst the stars with tremendous passion, the boy who won his own freedom in a pod race.  How was all of this even _possible_?  Anakin was the Chosen One; how could he completely desert the destiny that was bestowed on him?

“If something has happened to Anakin, you shouldn’t blame yourself for that,” Qui-Gon murmured finally.

Obi-Wan exhaled before he answered.  “Maybe I shouldn’t, but I will.”  His knuckles were completely white now as they gripped the speeder’s controls.  “You told me to train him, Master.  It was your dying wish.  Do you really think that means I wouldn’t take responsibility for his actions?”

“He is responsible for his actions, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon pressed.  “I _know_.  You know how I was after…after Xanatos.”

Obi-Wan deflated again, and turned the speeder slightly right as the Senate building came in view.  Almost immediately, the Force shivered.  Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan tense slightly, but he guided the speeder smoothly towards one of the lower hangars without another word.

* * *

Asajj Ventress flopped over on her cot and looked up at the grey ceiling above her.  After Kenobi and Windu left her alone in her cell, she felt even more confused than before.  To hear that the Jedi (or Kenobi, at least) were willing to change, so long after Ky Narec’s death, completely changed things for her.  What was she supposed to _do_?

She sighed and looked down at her hands.  Although she told Kenobi and Windu the truth about what she knew about the inhibitor chips (which wasn’t that much) and the Sith Master (which admittedly was even less), they hadn’t removed her Force suppression cuffs and put her back in her cell, and being unable to access the Force was quite irritating.  She couldn’t _think_ properly.

Had Dooku truly turned away from the Sith?  Was he working with the Jedi?  She hadn’t been able to track him down in those last few weeks before his death.  Now that she’s lost a Jedi Master and a Sith one, she began to wonder if all of this was worth this pain.  What was she supposed to do now, anyways?

The sound of light footsteps approaching her cell stirred her out of her thoughts.  Whoever was coming to meet her sounded like they were hoping not to be detected, but even without the Force, Ventress was an expert.  She could always tell when someone was trying to sneak up on her undetected.  It was _her specialty_.

“Who’s there?” she asked, standing fluidly and moving towards the bars of her cell.  Being without the Force was frustrating; she would easily have been able to tell who was approaching her, but now she feels half-blind and stripped of her power.  It’s not _fair_.

“It’s me.”

Skywalker’s padawan walked into the light, her eyes wide and curious.  Ventress raised a brow in surprise.  “What do you want?” she asked.

The Togruta stared at her for a long moment, as though she was judging her for some reason, before she sighed and released a long breath.  “I need your help,” Tano answered.

Ventress rolled her eyes before turning away towards her cot.  “I already answered questions for the Council and told Kenobi everything I knew about the Sith Master, child,” she hissed, lying back down on the cot and staring up at the ceiling.  “Now leave me _alone_.”

The child didn’t move, except to cross her arms and to continue staring at her.  “The Chancellor is the Sith Lord,” Tano said, and Ventress felt her heart skip a beat in her chest.  “Masters Kenobi and Jinn went after him, and I don’t know if Master Skywalker has joined Palpatine or not.  They will need backup,” she insisted.

Ventress barked out a laugh and sat up again to stare at the Togruta.  “Why ask me, then?  I’m sure your precious Council can decide how to deal with this situation,” she snorted.

“They’re _not_!” Tano exclaimed.  “They’re just wasting time arguing about this, and I can’t just stay here and wait.  Not when everyone I _care_ about is in danger and the clones— _my Vode_ —are brainwashed like this!  I can’t just stand by and _watch_ my world fall apart, Ventress!”  There was passion, a _fire_ , burning in the padawan’s eyes.

Ventress closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath.  Things were more dire than she had initially thought.  Perhaps it was time for her to act, and quickly.  “Get me out of this cell, Tano,” Ventress murmured, pulling herself to her feet once again.  “I’ll help you.”

* * *

“We do not have time to waste on this matter, Master Tiin,” Mace said.  Padawan Tano had barged into the room about twenty minutes ago, to tell them that the Chancellor was the Sith Lord they were looking for, and that Masters Kenobi and Jinn are going after him and to rescue Skywalker.

“I understand that, Master Windu, but we can’t come to this conclusion based on some _assumption_ that Kenobi has.  He could be wrong,” the Iktotchi Jedi replied, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

Mace looked around the Council chambers at the other Masters present.  Besides Masters Kenobi and Shaak Ti, everyone was (thankfully) present.  Shaak Ti was in charge of training the clone cadets on Kamino, so it came as no surprise when her death rang loudly in the Force not long after the chips were activated.  Master Koon appeared by hologram, having had to escape the Wolfpack’s attack and fly to Naboo for safety.

“We have thousands of Jedi that are unaccounted for, Masters,” Master Tiin continued.  “We need to oversee Master Che’s extraction of the inhibitor chips on these first few clones.  The Senate is _not_ pleased with this turn of events.  I understand that it was the Chancellor who issued the order in the first place, but it may already be too late for us to help Kenobi and Jinn.  We need to help in the ways that we know we can.”

Mace sighed.  He had a good point.  The Jedi _were_ spread too far thin, and now that extinction was looming on the horizon, he had a responsibility as Master of the Order to _preserve_ the Jedi tradition.

Plo Koon’s hologram flickered as he shifted.  _“We may need to consider the possibility of…moving to another Temple,”_ he said.

“Have we truly reached that point?” Master Fisto asked, brows raised.

“Too dark to tell, it is,” Master Yoda sighed, then looked up at Mace expectantly.  As if he expected Mace to decide the fate of the Jedi in about one minute.  The thought of that made his head ache.  There were _millions_ of shatterpoints, so many that Mace couldn’t make sense of which path was the correct one.

“We’ll wait,” Mace said finally.  “Let’s see how the extraction surgeries go, and if we can get in contact with anyone outside the Temple.  We’ll need to send out an emergency signal warning everyone to _not_ return to Coruscant.  And I am going to the Chancellor’s office.  There’s no time to waste.”

* * *

“Ah, I was wondering when you would come by, Master Kenobi,” the Chancellor said pleasantly as Obi-Wan walked into his office with Qui-Gon in tow.  Anakin stood facing the Chancellor, his back to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan nodded before tightening his shields.  The action sent a pulsing ache through his mind, and he barely suppressed a shudder.  “I’m afraid all of this must be a misunderstanding, Chancellor, but I’ve been told that you ordered the clones to march on our Temple.  I must ask you to rescind that order,” Obi-Wan said, glancing at Anakin as he spoke.  Qui-Gon stood silently besides Obi-Wan as he spoke, face pale.

“That will not be possible, Master Kenobi.  You know that as well as I,” Palpatine replied.  He smiled, but the sight of it was almost horrifying.  Palpatine’s Force presence began to peel back its layers, revealing a core that pulsed with cold, predatory darkness.

“And why not, Chancellor?” Qui-Gon asked.  His voice was calm and firm, even though Obi-Wan knew that he could sense the darkness emanating from the Chancellor now.  Obi-Wan felt it pressing firmly against his shields, and his vision blurred slightly before he blinked a few times.   _No_ , he whispered to himself, _not now_.

Qui-Gon continued talking.  “Surely you cannot execute the entirety of the Jedi Order on no grounds.  The Senate will not allow it.”

Palpatine chuckled.  “Master Jedi, I _am_ the Senate.  And I’m sure you haven’t yet been brought up to speed on everything that has happened in this time.  But _I_ am aware of one thing.  You both know the truth about who I am.”

Palpatine smiled even more widely and turned towards Anakin.  Obi-Wan felt his heart pounding, racing in his chest.  Just the _sight_ of Palpatine looking at Anakin with a sort of possession in his eyes was… _wrong_.  Anakin wouldn’t…believe in that, would he?

“You may be familiar with the Sith Rule of Two that was established by Darth Bane generations ago.  Tyrannus was my apprentice, but once I knew that he was a traitor, I had my eyes set on my new apprentice, and he has finally agreed to join me.”

Obi-Wan sucked in a breath and pain shot through his skull.  He exhaled quickly and forced the pain away, feeling Qui-Gon’s shock almost as keenly as his own.  _No, Anakin_.  “Anakin, what is he talking about?” he asked, though there was a sinking feeling in his stomach and his heart was racing in his chest.

“You have _failed_ your apprentice, Kenobi,” Palpatine hissed, standing now.  “So I have taken him as _my_ apprentice instead.”

But Obi-Wan ignored that and took a few faltering steps forward towards Anakin, ignoring Qui-Gon as he tried to stop him.  “Anakin, why?” Obi-Wan whispered.

Anakin finally spun around to face him, eyes blank and _cold_.  “You’ve lied to me enough times, Obi-Wan,” he said finally.  “My mother is dead because of you, and unless I don’t do anything, I will lose Padmé too.  I can’t lose her, Obi-Wan.”

“What do you mean?  She’s not in danger,” Obi-Wan answered.  His voice sounded far away, echoing just barely over the roaring in his ears.  He knew that Anakin’s feelings for Senator Amidala were beyond the friendship that he often claimed to have with her, but Obi-Wan had decided not long after the war started to turn a blind eye to their relationship, whatever it was.  If he investigated it any further, he would have to report it to the Council, and that would have…complicated things.

“She is my _wife_!” Anakin exclaimed.  “She is _everything_ to me, and I’ve been having nightmares, visions of her death.  Do you remember what you told me the last time I had visions like this?  And what ended up happening?”

Obi-Wan blinked dully in shock, Anakin’s words barely registering in his mind.

“Anakin.”  Qui-Gon took a few steps forward to stand besides Obi-Wan, his voice pleading.  “Why don’t you calm down and come back with us to the Temple?  We can fix this; I’m sure—”

“No!” Anakin exclaimed, cutting him off.  “I trusted the Jedi for all these years, and they’ve only caused me pain.  And I’m done with this.”

Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon, who once again seemed stunned to silence.  Of _course_ he was.  Qui-Gon was the one who found Anakin on Tatooine, who whispered with his final breaths that he was the Chosen One, and that he had to be trained.  Qui-Gon believed in Anakin with all his heart.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said.  Palpatine was staring at him with a strange look, eyebrows furrowed.  “If you wish to leave the Order, I will not stop you.  But think about this.  Palpatine is the Sith Lord we’ve been looking for.  Ahsoka and Padmé wouldn’t want you to do this.”

Anakin blinked.  “He says he can save her.  He _will_ save her,” Anakin muttered.

“Enough of this, Lord Vader,” Palpatine spoke up, voice scratching almost painfully in Obi-Wan’s ears.  He blinked, and Qui-Gon flew backwards suddenly, slamming harshly against the doors of the office with a sickening crack before crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Padmé Amidala paced inside the bedroom of her apartment at 500 Republica, mind racing.  Something was _wrong_ with Anakin; there was a twisting feeling in her stomach that told her as much.  He was more concerned about her wellbeing than the fact that the Jedi were dying across the galaxy, that the war was ending and everything was going wrong.  And Palpatine was at the head of it; just as she’d predicted, he had gained too much power as Chancellor and was now extremely corrupt.

And the clones that fought alongside the Jedi throughout the war had now turned on the Jedi, on the Republic itself.  The Senate was completely divided about this; some Senators even saying that the Jedi were a hindrance to the Republic, that they only cared about the progression of their Order and nothing else.  That it was time for the Jedi to end, and for _everything_ to change.

She had to meet with Senators Organa and Mon Mothma in about half an hour, but Corscuant traffic seemed to have moved to a complete standstill, with the police and clones now checking every speeder for Jedi trying to escape Corscuant.  It was near impossible to get anywhere, but that wasn’t going to stop her.  There _had_ to be a way to fix all of this.  Bail was talking about possibly calling a Vote of No Confidence for Palpatine, but it was clear that the movement would not have enough support right now.  Palpatine simply had too much power, and too many supporters.

Padmé sighed and walked out of her bedroom into the living room.  It was time to go.  Just as she took two steps towards the landing platform connected directly to her apartment, a loud knock resonated through the apartment.

She jumped in surprise.  “Who’s there?” she asked finally, bending down to pull her blaster out of her boot.

“Padmé?”

Padmé’s eyebrows shot upwards, and she slid the blaster back into her boot before racing to the door and opening it.  Ahsoka Tano stood in the doorway, expression relieved.  Behind her, however, was someone Padmé did not expect to meet in her apartment at all.  “Asajj Ventress?” she guessed.  The Dathomirian woman gave her a strange look, but nodded afterwards.  “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Padmé continued.

“It’s okay; she’s on our side,” Ahsoka reassured her.  “We need your help, Senator.  Can we talk?”

“I have to meet with some of the other Senators, Ahsoka,” Padmé answered.

The Togruta blinked, then continued talking, completely unfazed.  “I know that you’re married to Anakin, Senator,” Ahsoka said.  Padmé saw one of Ventress’ eyebrows raise fractionally at that, but she did not say anything.  “And he’s in trouble.  The Chancellor, he’s…Masters Kenobi and Jinn and I discovered that he’s the Sith Lord we’ve been looking for.  And Anakin is with him, and I have a bad feeling that he’s going to _join_ him.”

Padmé’s heart skipped a beat in her chest.  “No,” she whispered, “he wouldn’t _do_ something like that.”  She swallowed before speaking again.  “A few of us are aware that the Chancellor has become corrupt, but I had no idea it was this bad.”

“You need to come with us to stop Palpatine and convince Anakin to come back to our side.  I don’t think he’s completely turned yet,” Ahsoka pressed.

Padmé frowned.  “All right; I’ll send a message to Senator Organa, then I’ll come with you.”

* * *

“Now, Master Kenobi,” Palpatine continued, almost as though he didn’t throw Qui-Gon Jinn across the room with enough force to break bones.  Obi-Wan could sense that Qui-Gon was unconscious, but might have broken a rib or two from the attack.  “Let’s talk about Zigoola, shall we?”

Just the name of the planet sent a shiver down Obi-Wan’s spine, but he kept his face completely neutral.  “What happened on that planet is classified, Chancellor.  Even to you,” he responded.

“Ah, but I do know a lot about what happened there,” Palpatine responded.  “You and Senator Organa arrived there in pursuit of a Sith Holocron that was placed on the planet.  There was a Sith Temple on Zigoola, Kenobi; who do you _think_ placed that holocron there?”

Obi-Wan blinked.  Of _course_.  All the pieces were coming together now, and it all made sense.

“But you haven’t recovered, and you don’t know why,” Palpatine whispered, walking forward.  Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin, who was staring intently at Palpatine with no emotion in his eyes.  His Force presence was completely blocked off to him.

“Let me tell you why.”

“Anakin…” Obi-Wan said, voice shaking slightly.  “You don’t need to do this; we can figure out a solution to all of this without destroying the Jedi.  This is _not_ the answer.”

“Shut _up_!” Anakin responded.  “You’ve failed me, and you’ve failed Master Qui-Gon and Ahsoka and _everyone_.  This is all your fault, Obi-Wan.  I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Palpatine raised an eyebrow.  “While you did survive Zigoola, Kenobi, the holocron left a parting gift in your mind.  And no matter what you do, Master Kenobi, there’s no removing it.  It’s been slowly destroying you without your notice,” he continued, as though Obi-Wan said nothing at all. 

Obi-Wan felt Palpatine’s Force presence rushing forward and slamming itself against his shields.  He grunted in surprise, quickly fortifying his shields.  The dull pain that resided behind his eyes exploded into fiery agony, but he ignored it, focusing everything on keeping his shields up.

He dimly heard Palpatine let out a bark of laughter, and then the pressure on his shields doubled, then tripled with speedy accuracy.  Obi-Wan’s knees buckled, and he crashed to the ground with a hoarse cry.  His shields were trembling, on the verge of collapse.  He could taste blood on his lips, there were tears running down his cheeks, and his ears were ringing.

 _Anakin_ , he thought, trying to send whatever emotion he felt at the moment to him, _trying_ to make him understand.  Palpatine’s attack was relentless, though; it felt that the Sith Lord was holding him down to the ground with the Force, pushing himself into his mind.  Obi-Wan continued fighting back, trying to keep his mental shields up with everything he had.  He could barely feel his body seizing on the ground.

He couldn’t breathe.  Why couldn’t he breathe?  Obi-Wan struggled to open his mouth, to allow air to rush in through his nose, but it felt as though he was pinned down to the ground by the throat, with his air supply cut off.

Blackness began to seep into his vision, and his heart began to beat loudly in his ears.  _Everything_ hurt now, and his shields were barely staying up, faltering against the dark force that slammed against them.

 _Just let go_ , something whispered to him, and he desperately wanted to do just that.  It would be so easy.  _The pain will go away if you let go_.  His shields shattered with that thought, and for a brief moment, there was agony that he’s never experienced before rushing into his mind.

 _Anakin_ , he thought one more time, one _final_ time, then he knew nothing more.

* * *

Qui-Gon came to consciousness with a shout, feeling a burning pain flash across his mind.  He sat up, wincing as he grabbed at his ribs, and looked up at the scene before him.  Obi-Wan was on his back in front of the Chancellor’s desk, features completely slack.  “ _No!_ ” he shouted, struggling to his feet as he ran forward, left hand pressed to his middle.

Obi-Wan’s body laid crumpled at his feet, blood dripping out of his nose and mouth, completely and utterly still.  Qui-Gon fell to his knees besides him, placing a hand at his neck, desperately feeling for a pulse, though he _knew_ from the burning pain in his mind that the bond he had with Obi-Wan was broken by death, once again.

“No,” he repeated, ignoring the Sith Lord who laughed, and the boy who he once believed to be the Chosen One, who now stood with emotionless eyes.  “Obi-Wan, don’t do this to me,” Qui-Gon whispered, clasping his hands together and pressing down on Obi-Wan’s chest.  He _could_ bring him back.  This was never supposed to happen.

The compressions were exhausting him quickly, and his ribs were screaming in protest, but Qui-Gon ignored it, and leaned down to breath into Obi-Wan’s mouth.  Nothing happened.  Qui-Gon sat back up and continued the compressions, ignoring Palpatine’s continued laughter.

“Lord Vader,” the Sith Lord announced.  “Strike this fool down in his misery.  He is worthless now.”

Qui-Gon ignored him, barely hearing a lightsaber ignite and footsteps coming towards him.  “Come _on_ , Obi-Wan,” he muttered, ignoring the fact that the Force itself was crying out in agony, that he knew very well what a broken bond felt like and that this was pointless.

“He’s dead, Qui-Gon.”  Anakin’s voice sounded deeper than usual.  He stood in front of him, eyes slightly red.  His lightsaber was ignited in his mech hand, pointed towards the ground next to Obi-Wan’s left leg.  “There’s no point.”

Qui-Gon only shook his head.  “There’s always _hope_ , Anakin.  Have you forgotten?” he asked.  He bent down to breath into Obi-Wan’s mouth again, trying to will life and oxygen into a body that was ice-cold with death.  A body that would not and could not be revived.

When Qui-Gon sat up again, Anakin held the lightsaber in front of him, considering it carefully.  “I have no choice, Master,” he announced, a bit louder than before.  “I will do what I must.”

Several things happened at once.  Anakin spun quickly around and buried his lightsaber deep into Palpatine’s chest, the grand doors swung open to reveal Ahsoka Tano, Asajj Ventress, and Padmé Amidala, and Qui-Gon Jinn disappeared without a trace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! The next chapter will be up in a few weeks probably.


	13. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What remains when darkness and light are balanced?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry!
> 
> I did not expect for it to take me this long to get this chapter ready, but college has been kicking my butt lately. I'm finally on Spring Break (I haven't had a break since I last posted), so I made sure to finish this chapter as soon as I had the time.
> 
> Side Note: this chapter will refer to Things (that's the best way I can describe it) from the recent episodes of Star Wars Rebels. There will be no spoilers about the story itself and what happens to the characters, but if you are very concerned about that, I would suggest watching the last episodes of Season 4 before reading this.
> 
> Anyways, enough of me rambling! Enjoy :)

Obi-Wan was dead.  Anakin could barely hear the sound of Palpatine’s laughter as he stared down at Qui-Gon, who was desperately trying to revive Obi-Wan, though it was pointless.  _All_ of this was pointless.  The Force was _shattered_ , broken.  It was crying out in agony as darkness overwhelmed the light, as day turned into night.  As the shadows blotted out the light of the stars.

Anakin blinked slowly, waiting for _something_ to change.  He stared at Qui-Gon, watched as tears streamed down his face, as he bent over and breathed air into a cold, lifeless mouth.  It was all over.

Everything was ending now, just as Palpatine said it would, but Anakin felt…cold.  As though everything was frozen, completely encased in ice.  The Sith Lord took two steps forward as his laughter faded away, though Anakin could see and _feel_ the glee that still encompassed him.

“Lord Vader,” Sidious hissed, and Anakin felt something sink deep in his stomach at the realization that the Sith Lord was talking to _him_.  Palpatine was watching Qui-Gon intently, his eyes shining with joy at the sight of the Jedi’s misery.  “Strike this fool down in his misery.  He is worthless now.”

Anakin blinked and looked down at the sight of the Jedi Master leaning over the body, trembling hands pressing down on its chest with enough force to break ribs.  None of that mattered though.  He thought of Obi-Wan standing before Master Qui-Gon’s funeral pyre long before the service started and long after the body was cooled to ash.  He thought of him and Obi-Wan returning to the Temple after Qui-Gon’s death, of Obi-Wan never slowing down, never giving himself the chance to _grieve_ properly.

He thought of Obi-Wan teaching him everything about being a Jedi, from using the Force to lift a rock, to negotiating and settling disputes.  He thought of all the times, in the beginning, that Obi-Wan corrected his grip on his lightsaber.  And later, Obi-Wan would do the same for Ahsoka because Anakin wanted him to.  Obi-Wan did _everything_ for Anakin, and in return, he turned against him…?  No.  _No_. 

Anakin ignited his lightsaber and took a few steps forward.  Qui-Gon was in denial _still_ , his hands pressing down hard on Obi-Wan’s chest.  “Come _on_ , Obi-Wan,” he muttered.

Didn’t Qui-Gon feel the Force screaming in agony from the loss of light?  The Force wasn’t _truly_ balanced before, but now it was…fractured.

“He’s dead, Qui-Gon.  There’s no point,” Anakin uttered.  He looked down at Obi-Wan’s body at his feet.  The sight of it—eyes half-open, bloodied lips and nose, face completely colorless—turned his stomach to knots.

Qui-Gon’s response was a quiet whisper, but it was powerful enough.  “There’s always _hope_ , Anakin.  Have you forgotten?”

Anakin took a deep breath and looked down at his lightsaber.  Palpatine’s glee was encompassing the Force almost entirely, and the shattered and tattered remains of Anakin’s bond with Obi-Wan was…excruciating.

“I have no choice, Master.  I will do what I must,” Anakin murmured, closing his eyes slightly.

Before anyone could do or say anything, Anakin turned around, facing Palpatine, his lightsaber stabbed into the Sith Master’s chest.  He heard footsteps behind him, and then Ahsoka—he briefly wondered what she was _doing_ here—was running forward to kneel next to Obi-Wan’s body.  But…where was Qui-Gon?  Wasn’t he just there, moments ago?

He could sense Padmé in the Force, standing stunned by the office’s entrance, and…Ventress?  Before he could wonder how she was even released from the Temple, Palpatine shifted.

Palpatine let out a hoarse laugh, and Anakin’s insides turned cold.  “My…boy,” Palpatine hissed, breathing heavily.  His bright yellow eyes bored into Anakin’s, but his lips were curled upwards, as though he was smiling.  “You’ve lost…everything,” the Sith master hissed, then his eyes rolled back in his sockets and his body sagged, held upright by Anakin’s saber.

Startled, Anakin turned off his saber, and Palpatine crumpled to the ground.  He stared at the Sith Lord’s body for a moment, in dull shock.  What has he _done_?  Palpatine was offering him a way to save Padmé, to fulfill his destiny, and he just…completely betrayed him.  But he was a Sith Lord, and Obi-Wan was…Anakin’s eyes widened as the weight of everything that _just_ happened struck him.

“Anakin?” Padmé’s voice, quiet yet reassuring.

Anakin turned around to face them.  Ahsoka was kneeling next to Obi-Wan, her eyes wide with horror, while Padmé stood by the entrance to the office next to Ventress.  The former Sith’s eyes were wide too, but her emotions seemed to be indecipherable.

“Padmé, I…”  Whatever he was going to say, whatever he was _thinking_ of saying faded away completely, and he found himself staring dumbfounded at her.

For once, she seemed at a complete loss words too.  A few long moments passed before Ahsoka spoke, voice faltering.

“What _happened_?”  His padawan’s voice was extremely wobbly, as though she was on the verge of tears.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Ventress drawled, interrupting Anakin before he could answer.  She walked closer to Ahsoka, looking down at Obi-Wan’s body with noticeable sadness.  “Your master turned against you, Padawan Tano.  Because of him, Kenobi is dead,” she continued.  She gestured lightly towards Obi-Wan’s body before taking a few steps forward and walking towards Anakin.  “How does it _feel_ to have drawn on the Dark Side once again, Skywalker?” she asked.

“Master, what does she mean by _again_?” Ahsoka asked, eyes wide.  “What did you do?”

“I…” Anakin’s voice trailed off as bile rose up in his throat.  He swallowed it down harshly, feeling it burn down his windpipe.  Ventress looked almost smug, Ahsoka looked sicker than Anakin felt, and Padmé looked extremely perturbed.  Anakin watched as his wife closed her eyes.  She breathed slowly for a moment before opening her eyes once again.

“Now is not the time for this.  Palpatine was the leader of the Republic, and now he’s dead.  We need to figure out what to do next,” Padmé said, eyes blazing slightly.  She looked around the room.  “I thought Master Jinn was with you; where is he?”

Anakin frowned and looked around too.  He vaguely felt Master Qui-Gon disappear from the Force, but it made no sense.  Anakin couldn’t even feel him in the Force at all.  Where did he _go_?

 “I…I don’t know,” Anakin whispered.  “He _was_ here, but now he’s…gone.”

* * *

Qui-Gon Jinn opened his eyes.

He was lying on his back, looking at what appeared to be a starry night sky.  He sat up slowly and his eyes widened.  The world appeared to be surrounded by stars and he was on a long path that stretched endlessly in two directions.  Occasionally, the path would fork right or left and stretch out in another direction.  There were doorways, most of them circular, made of some sort of bright light.  He could hear voices echoing around him, some louder than others, but it was difficult to make out exactly what they were saying.

The Force here was calm but silent.  It didn’t feel as dark or distorted as it did when he arrived in the future; it was just _there_ , clear and strong.  It was _everywhere_ , but it felt different for some reason.

Wait…

“Am I dead?”  His voice echoed back to him loudly, but there was no reply.  After a moment, he stretched out with the Force.  He could sense no one.  He was alone, and the Living Force was utterly still.  Qui-Gon stood up slowly, and was surprised to feel no pain, no dizziness from his concussion, nothing.

Did Anakin kill him?  What happened, exactly?  Was he…taken to another time?  “ _No_ ,” he muttered, turning around gently.  “Where am I?” he asked, louder than before.  His voice echoed back at him almost eerily now.

_“Master?”_

Obi-Wan’s voice, soft and whispery, echoing just a little more clearly than all of the other voices.  Qui-Gon turned around, trying to find the source of his voice, but all he could see was the blackness and the stars. 

“Obi-Wan?” he asked, almost hesitantly.  If he was hearing Obi-Wan’s voice now, it only meant one thing.  It meant that Qui-Gon had joined the Force.  But was _this_ the Force, truly?  He didn’t exactly remember what happened.  He remembered that he was desperately trying to bring Obi-Wan back, despite knowing in the back of his mind that it was fruitless.

_“Jedi.”_

He spun back around to see three figures standing before him.  The one in the middle appeared to be an old man with ancient eyes.  He had a long white beard that came down to the middle of his chest and wore robes of a pale grey color.  He stood between a younger woman and a younger man, and all three stared at him with gravity.

_“We have been waiting for you,”_ the woman said.  She had light green hair and had white gold robes.  Her Force presence was a maelstrom of pure light, of virtue.  Her voice, like the old man who spoke before, had a duality to it; it sounded as though multiple people were speaking at once.

“Where am I?” he asked, ignoring the loud echo of his own voice.

_“All in due time, Master Jedi,”_ the younger man responded.  His voice was deep and powerful.  He wore dark robes, similar to Anakin’s in a way, but his skin was pure white with red streaks over his head and down his cheeks.  His eyes glowed a bright red.  Qui-Gon could tell he was not a Sith, but his presence was one of the Dark Side.  But the feeling of it didn’t feel _wrong_ , exactly.  It was just dark.

The old man moved forward.  _“Time is out of balance, and it must be restored,”_ he proclaimed, his features severe.  He appeared to be the middle of Light and Dark, the true neutral power of the Force.  There was something in his eyes that spoke much more than his words did.  Qui-Gon found himself feeling overwhelmed just by the sight of it.

“Because of me?” Qui-Gon asked.

The old man tsked, his glowing blue eyes boring into Qui-Gon’s.  _“You were brought to this time for a few important reasons but bringing you here has defied the Laws of Time; balance must be restored,”_ he explained.  The other two beings stood still, observing, almost waiting for something.

“So, it was you?” Qui-Gon asked, no longer flinching from the loud echo of his voice.  “You brought me to this time?”

_“My children and I are neither Sith nor Jedi; we are Force-wielders who preside over the Force itself and the passage of time.  We are the end, the middle, and the beginning.  We guard the World Between the Worlds, the matter between time and space,”_ the Father continued, voice severe.

Qui-Gon blinked.  These Force wielders had the means for time travel?  He had never heard of such thing before, yet he knew that he himself was now evidence of its existence.  He must have been taken through one of these portals.  But…

“Why?” he asked.

_“You ask why we must guard Time?”_ the Son asked, eyes glittering eerily. 

“If you truly guard Time and the Force, why would you send me to this time, if it would put Time out of balance?” Qui-Gon asked.

_“The Force itself was in danger.  We had to do what was right.  That meant bringing back to this time a missing puzzle piece,”_ the Daughter answered.

“We are not games to be toyed with,” Qui-Gon responded, frustration bubbling somewhere within him.  

_“There were three reasons, Master Jedi.  Three who stood at the cusp of balance and held it in their hands, and those very three that you saved,”_ the Father explained.  _“Your Master, your apprentice, and the Chosen One.”_

Master Dooku, Obi-Wan, and Anakin?  How could he have saved them?  Two of them were… _gone_ , and the third was facing a fate worse than death.  “I failed,” Qui-Gon whispered, eyes watering.  “I failed them, _all_ of them.”

_“On the contrary,”_ the Father said with a gentle smile, _“you succeeded.  It is because of you that balance has been achieved.”_

Balance?  The Force certainly did not _feel_ balanced at the end, but now it felt…calm.  It felt almost right.

_“Your Master made some mistakes since you left him, and the Sith was eying him with great interest even before then.  He was manipulated by the dark, taken and twisted into someone he was not,”_ the Son began.  _“You were able to show him the way.  Darkness and light are both necessary for balance but being of the Dark does not equate to being a Sith.  You showed him that.”_

Qui-Gon shook his head.  “It’s my fault,” he admitted.  “If I didn’t interfere, if I left him alone, he might be alive.  He might—”

_“No,”_ the Son interrupted.  _“The Sith had his eyes set on the Chosen One.  Your Master was a temporary choice.  His death was already set in stone, but by helping him, you have established the future of his line.  His apprentice lives on and will cultivate the proper darkness necessary to keep the Force in balance.”_

Ventress? Qui-Gon admittedly did not know much about her; he and Dooku didn’t have time to talk about how he had a Dathomirian witch as an apprentice.  But she was a part of Dooku’s lineage—of his own lineage—and maybe would set in stone the ways of the Dark, something beyond and different from the Sith.

_“Your apprentice was damaged greatly, nearly beyond repair.”_ The Daughter’s voice was solemn and quiet.  _“The darkness was ripping apart his mind, and the war was only speeding up that process.  Something needed to be done,”_ she said.

“But, Obi-Wan is…” Qui-Gon swallowed, trying not to think of those very last moments, of Obi-Wan’s body lying before him, motionless and _gone_.  “I couldn’t save him either.  He’s joined the Force.”

_“By helping your own apprentice, you helped the Chosen One bring balance.  He saw the truth of what you were doing, and the error of the Sith.  The Chosen One was being manipulated by the Sith, and he had taken too many steps into the Dark.  His confusion was screaming out across the Force.”_ The Father’s voice was quiet now, almost mournful.  _“He was to bring balance, not further chaos.”_

Qui-Gon looked up at the Force-wielders before him, glowing brightly against the blackness that surrounded them.  “There is balance, then?” he whispered.  “But at what cost?  Master Dooku and Obi-Wan’s lives?”

_“The cost would have been much greater had you not interfered,”_ the Daughter answered.  _“The Sith would have overwhelmed the Jedi and exterminated every single one of them.  There would have been no one left.”_

* * *

“He _was_ here, but now he’s…gone,” Anakin answered quietly.  His voice was hoarse, as though he spent hours screaming or crying.  Padmé felt concern shoot up her spine as he looked down at Obi-Wan’s body at his feet.  Padmé watched as Anakin’s face blanched and he dropped to his knees, hands grabbing at Obi-Wan’s arm.

“Obi-Wan?”  Anakin’s voice cracked as he spoke. 

Padmé knew she needed to move or simply do something now, before Palpatine’s allies discovered what had happened.  Now that the Chancellor of the Republic was dead, and the war was definitely over, it was time for a new era.  The Republic stood now at a precipice.  Something needed to change in the Senate _now_ , and Padmé needed to make sure that she was at the forefront of this change.  Otherwise, things may just go back to the way they were before.  She couldn’t possibly allow that to happen.

But right now, Anakin was…

“Master, wake up.”

Anakin shook Obi-Wan’s sleeve slightly, voice shaking more now.  He sounded just like the boy Padmé met on Tatooine all those years ago.  Padmé looked up towards Ahsoka, who was kneeling on Obi-Wan’s other side, but now seemed frozen to the spot at the sight of Anakin looking and sounding so despondent.  Ventress remained still, the humor completely erased from her features, revealing a sort of quiet devastation.

“I need you, Obi-Wan,” Anakin whispered.  “I can’t do this alone.” 

“Anakin…” Padmé said finally and took a few steps towards him.  “I’m sorry, Anakin, but…”

“ _No_ ,” Anakin gritted, eyes flashing as he looked up at her.  “I was so _worried_ that I was going to lose you, Padmé, and I didn’t…I should have known.  I didn’t know that this was going to happen.  You have to believe me, Padmé.”

Padmé nodded slowly, though her heart was still racing in her chest, though she remembered clearly what Ahsoka told her about Anakin joining Palpatine, that Palpatine was a Sith Lord and Anakin…

“He’s gone, Anakin,” she whispered.  “I’m sorry.”

Anakin took a deep, shuddering breath.  Padmé waited for him to say something, but then he took another shaky breath and bowed his head.  His shoulders shook with quiet sobs.  Padmé felt her heart sink slowly to her stomach, but she ignored the feeling and looked around the room.

Palpatine’s body lay a few feet away from Anakin, the hole in his chest clearly visible from where Padmé stood.  Padmé then looked at Ahsoka, who was now standing and looking back at her with tears in her eyes.  Ventress walked towards Palpatine’s body, examining him for…something.

“We need to notify the Temple and the Senate,” Padmé murmured, and Ahsoka shifted uncomfortably, her eyes downcast.  “Ahsoka, can you…?”

Ahsoka nodded once.  “I will,” she promised.  “But the clones are still…We might not even be able to leave this building, once word gets out about Palpatine.”

“We need to reverse the Order,” Ventress said.  She pulled something off of Palpatine’s wrist.  “There must have been a way for Palpatine to activate the chips and to send out the command.  I suspect that it’s this.”  She held up a commlink.

“I can reverse the Order.”

Anakin’s voice was hoarse and gritty.  He stood slowly and wobbled for a split-second before steadying himself.  “I am still Palpatine’s second-in-command.  I think that…he must have had a contingency plan in place,” he whispered.  He was still staring at Obi-Wan’s body with tears running down his cheeks.  He made no effort to wipe them.

Padmé nodded.  “Are you _sure_ , Anakin?  You understand that if you use that commlink and it doesn’t work, it will give away our position.  The clones will come after us, and…”

“I’m not sure,” he answered.  “But it’s the only option we have.”

As soon as he took the commlink from Ventress, the door to the office exploded, revealing a unit of clones marching forward, all wearing blue and white armor.  Padmé stumbled and turned away briefly to avoid the smoke that quickly filled the room.

“Rex?” Ahsoka whispered.  Padmé turned back around to face them and then realized exactly who these clones were.

“Good soldiers follow orders,” Rex announced, voice echoing eerily, and all twenty-three members of Torrent Company began to fire on Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano.

* * *

Qui-Gon exhaled slowly.  Of course.  These Force wielders were acting as the Force demanded it.  If the Jedi were truly facing extinction, the loss would tip the balance of the Force into unimaginable darkness.  “I…” he breathed, and reached tentatively into the Force, feeling true _balance_ , more than he’d felt for a very long time.

“I understand,” he said finally, looking at each of the Force wielders.  “I am an individual of the Force, and I follow its will, as you do.  You had to do as the Force willed, even if it meant putting Time out of balance,” Qui-Gon continued.

The Father nodded sagely.  _“Then it is complete,”_ he responded, and Qui-Gon felt the finality in the Force, the balance between the Light and the Dark, and the feeling of equilibrium that pervaded throughout the universe.

But still…

“No,” Qui-Gon whispered.  “Obi-Wan isn’t…there must be _something_ you can do.  If you’re able to bring me forward in time, surely you can bring him back,” Qui-Gon said, the pain of Obi-Wan’s death crashing over him yet again, at the sound of his padawan’s voice echoing softly in the distance, almost like a phantom.

_“We cannot bring back the dead from the depths of the Force,”_ the Daughter answered.

Qui-Gon shook his head.  “I died,” he said.  “I died on Naboo, and now I’m here.  You can do the same with Obi-Wan. You can…”  His voice trailed off. 

_No_.  Taking Obi-Wan out of his timeline would only damage things further.  If taking Qui-Gon to the future has damaged Time as much as it appears, then permanently removing Obi-Wan from a time before his death would unravel many things.

_“Doing so would undo everything you’ve done, Jedi,”_ the Son answered, echoing Qui-Gon’s thoughts.

Qui-Gon nodded slowly.  He paused moments later and looked up at the Force wielders, eyes widening.  “Then what am I doing here?” he asked.

* * *

Ahsoka’s saber was out and ignited almost instantly.  Ventress immediately followed suit, running up next to the Togruta padawan and helping her deflect the blaster bolts.  Before Padmé could say or do anything, a bolt slipped past Ahsoka’s defenses and landed in her upper right arm.  She cried out and fell to her knees, gripping at the wound with her left hand, while keeping her saber relatively upright.

“ _Stop!_ ” Anakin roared, eyes wide and arm outstretched towards the clones.  He took a few staggering steps forward.  “Cease hostilities!” he cried out.

The clones froze.

Padmé inhaled, heart racing in anticipation.  The room seemed to stand still once again.  She waited a few moments for someone to move before standing and moving towards Ahsoka slowly.

“Are you alright?” Padmé asked.

Ahsoka nodded before standing slowly, left hand still tightly gripping her right arm.  “I’ll be fine,” she answered.  “Anakin?”

Anakin shifted slightly and turned towards them, eyes bright.  “It worked,” he said.  “I can stop the Order for now, but we’ll need to get these chips out.”

Padmé nodded.  “Do it, Anakin,” she responded.

Anakin pressed a button on the commlink he held and raised it to his lips before speaking.  His voice echoed loudly through the chambers.

“Attention all clone units.  Cease hostilities immediately.”

* * *

Yoda opened his eyes slowly, pulling himself out of his meditation.  Up until a few moments ago, the Force was screeching in agony, and the feeling of it was only rising and rising in a crescendo.  The darkness was overwhelming the light, death was screaming out into the Force as Jedi after Jedi joined the Force.

There was one Jedi that he watched carefully from childhood.  Ever since the child was brought into the crèche as a baby, Yoda has watched him grow from youngling to Initiate, from Initiate to Padawan, from Padawan to Knight, and from Knight to Master.  And now, the child that he remembered was gone.  Yoda bowed his head, feeling tears form in his eyes.

“Failed you, I have, Obi-Wan,” he whispered sorrowfully.

Sometime after Obi-Wan’s death rang out into the Force, a louder, more violent shriek seemed to echo throughout the Force before it settled into a sort of balance.  This had to mean that the Sith were gone.

There was a knock on the door to his chambers.  Yoda looked up and lifted a hand.  The door swung open, revealing Master Windu.  The Master of the Order looked completely exhausted, but there was something glimmering in his eyes.  Something that spoke of hope.

“I just received word from Skywalker,” Master Windu said softly.  “He’s managed to rescind the order.  He will be coming back with Tano and Ventress.”

Yoda nodded gravely before picking up his cane and standing.  “Prepare, we must.  A lot to do, there is.  A tragedy, we have faced, but a lot worse, it could have been,” he said finally.  He would grieve for Obi-Wan and for Qui-Gon and for all the lives lost, but the Jedi needed to move on.  There was so much to do for the future of the Jedi.

“We need to revise the foundations of the Order, Master,” Master Windu murmured.  “Obi-Wan was speaking of it before…he was right, Master.”  He looked down at his feet mournfully.  Obi-Wan’s death was clear in the Force; it was sharp and sudden, and the Force seemed to shudder and cry out mere moments after it happened, as though it was gravely wounded.

Yoda nodded and hobbled towards the door.  “Come, Master Windu.  Much to do right now, there is.”

The two Jedi Masters walked out the door, ready to bring the Jedi and the Republic into a new era.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so I'm about 90% sure that this is the last official chapter of this story. There will be an epilogue. If the epilogue is long enough and /feels/ like it should be a chapter, then it will be the last chapter (I haven't quite decided on that yet). Otherwise, it will remain an epilogue.
> 
> I really, really want to be done with this story before I finish Spring Break, but I also have a bucket load of homework that I haven't touched yet, so it might be a bit more time. I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises!
> 
> Until the next time! Please let me know what you think :)


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One final choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Welcome to the epilogue of this story! I have a lot to say but I'll let you read first, just please make sure to read the end notes.

Qui-Gon waited for one of them to say something, but none of the Force wielders responded.  The Father looked eerily pensive, the Daughter appeared uneasy, and the Son was serious.  Something wasn’t right, and for some reason, these entities were not telling him the entire truth.

“You said, earlier, that Time was out of balance,” Qui-Gon said, “and that it needed to be restored.”

 _“Yes,”_ the Father answered simply.  Almost as though he was waiting for Qui-Gon to say something else.

“Time is out of balance because of me,” Qui-Gon continued, then his eyes widened, and his heart plummeted to his stomach.  He really wanted to vomit now.  “You want to send me back to my time?  To Naboo?”

His padawan was still on Naboo, probably waiting for him.  The black-and-red Zabrak was out there, the Trade Federation, and Palpatine, who was plotting the destruction of the Republic and the return of the Sith.

But the battle was about to begin.  The moment had come.  Naboo was hanging in the balance, the Trade Federation had taken over, and Obi-Wan…He had left his padawan alone for too long, and now that he _knew_ what was going to happen, Qui-Gon could change it. 

Qui-Gon could make sure that Palpatine would be exposed to the Republic.  He could make sure the Clone Wars never happen in his timeline.  He could stop Dooku from becoming a Sith Lord, even if he decides to turn to the Dark.  He could change everything, and make sure none of the atrocities he saw in the past few weeks happen in his own timeline.  This was a second chance.

The Son was staring at him almost as though he read his thoughts.  Qui-Gon’s heart skipped a beat.  Was it not truly what he thought?  What exactly was going on?

 _“The circle is incomplete,”_ the Son responded.  _“Everything that happened since you were brought to this time will be mean nothing unless you go back and allow time to progress exactly as it did before your arrival to the future.”_

Allow time to progress…Of course.  Qui-Gon would have to return to Naboo and fall to the Sith monster’s blade.  He would have to allow the bond he had with his padawan to shatter and damage Obi-Wan’s mind.

“And if I don’t, then…everything will change.  Everything I did will be for nothing.” Qui-Gon’s voice faltered.  This was not _fair_.

 _“You have a choice,”_ the Daughter said.  Her eyes were wide and emotional, and her compassion was now screaming out into the Force.

“A choice?” Qui-Gon let out a humorless chuckle.  “There is no choice here; you are telling me I must return to my time to die!  To leave my padawan alone, to not see him Knighted, to cause him so much pain.  Where is the choice in this?”

 _“Your apprentice has joined the Force,”_ the Father answered.  _“You have the choice to take his place if you return to your time.  Otherwise, we can take you back to the time you just left.  You can oversee the reconstruction of the Jedi, of the Republic.  Or you can go back to your time and allow your apprentice to live.”_

“What?” Qui-Gon whispered.  His heart was racing in his chest now.  Obi-Wan was _dead_ , because of him.  Because he couldn’t save him, even though he somehow managed to save the Jedi and the Force.  But now… “But you just said that…”

 _“I said that we cannot bring back the dead from the depths of the Force,”_ the Daughter said.  _“We can, however, allow you to take his place.  The balance will have to remain between the living and the ones who join the Force.  A life for a life, Jedi.”_

A life for a life.  A simple choice.  Of _course_.  What really was his existence, except for a series of choices?  Qui-Gon wanted to sigh, wanted to shout and scream in frustration, but the decision itself was not really a decision at all.  He knew what he had to do.

“Master?”

Qui-Gon spun around.

Obi-Wan stood behind him, eyes wide and confused.  His robes were clean, and his face was clear of blood and pain.  The exhaustion that seemed to cling to him like a shadow was completely gone, and the Jedi Master that stood before Qui-Gon was more reminiscent of the padawan he raised for over twelve years.

“What is this?” Obi-Wan asked, looking around.  “Where are we?”

Qui-Gon’s voice felt caught in his throat.  What was he supposed to say? 

 _“Have you made your choice?”_ the Father asked.

“Choice?” Obi-Wan’s voice cut through the echoes of their surroundings sharply.  “Qui-Gon, what is he talking about?  What choice?”

Qui-Gon shook his head.  “I have,” he answered.  His voice was quiet, but he knew that the Father heard him.

“Qui-Gon?” Obi-Wan spoke again, his voice low.  His eyes were desperate, pleading with him.  “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon whispered.  Obi-Wan’s eyes widened fractionally before he disappeared right before his eyes.

 _“The journey back to the living will be difficult, but he will make it,”_ the Father said.

Qui-Gon nodded before turning around to face the Force entities again.  He made no effort to wipe the tears that were rolling down his cheeks.

_“Now, we must hurry to return you to your time.  You know what you must do.”_

* * *

The room was utterly silent as the Force began to settle into relative calmness.   Anakin exhaled slowly, looking around at the Torrent Company.  All the clones stood still, at attention, as though they were waiting for more orders.

“They’re still not themselves,” Ahsoka commented, eyes shining with pain.

“They won’t be, not until we get those chips out,” Ventress said.

“I told Master Windu we’ll go back to the Temple,” Anakin said.  “We need to bring—”

The Force shifted _just_ slightly.  Anakin hissed in a breath, feeling almost a discomfort at the change.  Ahsoka staggered slightly, and Ventress frowned.

“What happened?” Padmé asked.  “Is something wrong?”

“No…” Anakin answered slowly, confused.  What _exactly_ had changed?  Something in his mind shifted, and then a sharp breath echoed through the room.

He turned slowly towards Obi-Wan.  “Obi-Wan?” he asked, taking a few faltering steps towards him.  Anakin reached out into the Force, reached into his bond with Obi-Wan and found…

“ _Force_ ,” Anakin uttered.  He watched as Obi-Wan breathed in, just barely.  Anakin dropped to his knees and put a hand on Obi-Wan’s forehead.  He could feel Obi-Wan’s life force, struggling to stay afloat.  “He’s alive,” he said.  “But he isn’t lasting; we need to get him to the healers, as soon as possible.”

Padmé nodded, though her eyes were wide with shock.  “Let’s go, then,” she said.

Anakin frowned.  “He’s not stable,” he muttered.  He leaned down and placed an ear on Obi-Wan’s chest.  The heartbeats he heard were slow and faltering, fading away into nothingness.  “I’ll have to monitor him with the Force while we go back to the Temple.”

Anakin looked up.  “Padmé, you should go and gather the Senate.  Do what you need to do.  I’m sure the Council will contact you later about what happened,” he said, voice trembling.

His wife nodded.  “Keep me updated, Ani,” she responded.  She turned around and left the room.

“Captain, you and the rest of Torrent Company can return to your barracks and await further instructions,” Anakin continued, looking up at Rex.  His captain nodded, and one by one, the clones filed out.

Anakin exhaled slowly.  His fear was rising up within him again, and he was struggling to keep it at bay.  Obi-Wan was somehow alive now, but he was slipping away quickly, and Anakin didn’t _know_ what would happen.  He didn’t know what the Council would say once they found out what he did, he didn’t know what would happen to Obi-Wan, Padmé, or Ahsoka.  Or to himself.

“Anakin, we need to hurry,” Ahsoka said.  Ventress stood next to her, frowning slightly.

Anakin shook his head.  _Not now_ , he told himself, _I can’t break down now_.

“Right.  Let’s go,” he said, lifting Obi-Wan onto a shoulder.

* * *

Qui-Gon blinked.  He was on Naboo again, surrounded by droids.  Anakin and Obi-Wan were looking up at him, and the Queen— _Padmé_ —was glancing back at him but was completely focused on making contact with her troops.

“Master?”

Qui-Gon looked at his padawan, who was frowning at him in concern.  Before he could speak or say anything, an explosion rocked the area right in front of them.  He sucked in a breath as he reached out into the Force, feeling the oily dark presence of the Sith monster, waiting for him.  It must have seemed like he never left, and he had to make sure that it continued to appear that way.

Immediately, blaster bolts began to fly around them, and the young Queen immediately walked out into battle, blaster drawn.

The battle had begun.

Everything went as Obi-Wan had described.  They made their way into the hangar, cleared it, and the great doors slid open, revealing the Sith Qui-Gon encountered on Tatooine.  Anakin was safe in the ship that he was hiding in, though Qui-Gon knew that once he and Obi-Wan left the hangar, Anakin would fly out and destroy the Trade Federation Control Ship.

“We’ll handle this,” Qui-Gon said as he and Obi-Wan moved past the Queen and her troops to face the Sith.

“We’ll take the long way,” Padmé said, as she and her people turned away to enter the palace from a different side.

The Sith Zabrak was just as ferocious as Qui-Gon remembered.  Qui-Gon immediately found himself struggling to keep up.  Even if he didn’t know what was going to happen, he immediately realized that he and Obi-Wan were fighting a losing battle.  The three of them entered the generator complex from the hangar, and Qui-Gon felt his heart racing in anticipation.  The Force seemed to hold its breath, as though it were almost waiting for Qui-Gon’s arrival.

He remembered what Obi-Wan said about this duel.  Qui-Gon would have to wait for him to be separated from Obi-Wan, then quickly lead the Sith into the area with the ray shields.  Soon enough, the Sith kicked Obi-Wan in the face, and he stumbled off the catwalk, landing somewhere below with a pained grunt.

Qui-Gon acted immediately, leading the Sith down the pathway towards the set of ray shields at the end.

 _Master, wait_!

Obi-Wan was calling out to him through their bond, repeatedly now, but Qui-Gon ignored him.  Obi-Wan couldn’t have any inkling of what was about to happen.  It would _change_ things, and any change may alter the timelines.  The risk was too great.

Qui-Gon placed a block on the bond, barely feeling Obi-Wan’s shock filter through before he was completely cut off.  _I’m sorry, Obi-Wan_ , he thought.

They were near the ray shields now.  He could hear the sound of Obi-Wan’s footsteps as he was sprinting towards them.  Qui-Gon continued pressing forward, heart pounding in his chest.  He paused as the ray shields began to close, leaving Obi-Wan trapped well behind him, and a single ray shield between him and the Sith.

Qui-Gon turned off his lightsaber and looked at the Sith for a moment.  The Force was calling out to him, and he needed to…feel its embrace as a part of the Living Force.  One last time.

Qui-Gon Jinn lowered himself to his knees and closed his eyes.

* * *

“Master Kenobi?”

The sound was muffled and unfamiliar.  Obi-Wan shifted slightly and blinked, trying to clear his vision.  Everything felt really foggy, and his whole body seemed to ache terribly.  He shivered and groaned, then felt a warm hand on his arm.

“I’ll go get Master Che, Master Kenobi.  Please stay awake.  I’ll be right back,” the voice said.  He barely heard the sound of footsteps as the person left the room.

Obi-Wan let his eyes flutter shut and he allowed himself to drift off slightly, trying not to think about how much it hurt to just breathe.  He felt sleep calling back to him, and he desperately wanted to reach for it and fall into its warm embrace.

“Obi-Wan!”

His eyes flicked open to the sight of Master Che staring down at him, a padawan healer standing at her side.  The room he was in seemed a bit brighter than before, and he wanted to close his eyes against the harshness of it.  He groaned again and let his eyes slide closed.

Immediately there was an insistent tapping on his shoulder.  “Not yet; just a minute, Obi-Wan,” Master Che murmured. 

Obi-Wan opened his eyes again.  Everything was really blurry, but the Twi’lek healer looked almost…relieved, though Obi-Wan couldn’t imagine why.  What exactly was there to be relieved about?

“I know you want to go back to sleep; let me just run some quick tests to make sure you have no permanent damage,” Master Che said, picking up a datapad from the side table.  “First of all, how are you feeling?”

Obi-Wan frowned.  Permanent damage?  What was she talking about?  He was fine, last time he checked.  He tried to take a deep breath, then felt pain shoot through his chest as he did.  Okay.  He probably wasn’t fine.

“…Hurts,” he rasped.  He exhaled quickly; talking took up more energy than he thought it would.  “What…happened?”

The Twi’lek Healer looked at him with some strange emotion in her eyes.  If Obi-Wan wasn’t so exhausted, he might have tried to understand what that emotion _was_ but staying awake was becoming a difficult task.  Maybe later.

“We can talk about that later,” she answered.  “You appear to be mostly cognizant, so I’ll allow you to sleep for a few hours.  I’ll wake you for evening meal.  It…”

Everything faded to black, and he drifted off into nothingness.

* * *

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling.  Being able to identify the Healers’ Ward simply by its ceiling had to merit _something_ , at the least.  He would probably ponder on that thought later, when he felt more awake.  But for now…

“You’re awake earlier than expected.”

Master Che sounded almost amused, though there was an undercurrent of exhaustion and relief in her voice.  She moved into Obi-Wan’s field of vision, and now that he was more awake than he was when he last saw her, he could see the bruises under her eyes.

“What happened?” he asked.  His voice was hoarse, and his throat felt like sandpaper.  Master Che must have noticed because moments later, she was pressing a glass to his lips.  Cold water rushed into his mouth, and he drank greedily, almost like a drowning man.

“Drink slowly,” she said.  “You’ve been out for a while.  It will take some time for you to recover.”  She pulled the glass away and put it on the table next to her.  He swallowed, feeling the water settle heavily in his stomach. 

Master Che sat back in her chair and took a deep breath.  “What do you remember?” she asked.

“I…” He frowned.  His brain felt slow and sluggish; his memories felt suddenly very far away.  “Master Qui-Gon and I went to confront Palpatine,” he murmured.  “We arrived, and Anakin was…”  The sight of Anakin, twisted and _dark_ , caused his heart to lurch in his chest and he gasped at the pain that came with it.

“ _Easy_ ,” Vokara said, standing up and putting a hand on his shoulder.  “Breathe slowly.  I know you’re worried and confused, but you need to remain calm for me.  Your body can’t handle much stress right now,” she said.

Obi-Wan exhaled harshly, heart pounding.  Breathing was still difficult, but he managed a few deep breaths before the sensation eased.  What exactly happened to him? 

“Anakin?” he asked finally, voice quiet.

The healer paused and sat down again.  “You missed a lot, Obi-Wan.  Master Windu will tell you what happened with Anakin once I clear you for that kind of discussion,” she said.  “For now, I can assure you that Palpatine has been defeated.  The clones have been neutralized and most of them are either in the process of getting their inhibitor chips out, if they haven’t already.”

“There’s something else,” he murmured.  Just from the way she sat and the expression on her face, he could tell that there were things that he didn’t know, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know them right now.

“Obi-Wan, you died,” she said.  “According to Skywalker and Tano, you were dead for about half an hour, and when you somehow came back to life, you were still slipping away,” she explained.

“Oh,” he mumbled.  He remembered now.  Palpatine was forcing himself into his mind, choking him, destroying his shields.  And his shields still lay in tatters in his mind.  That wouldn’t do.  He quickly constructed a new set of shields.  They weren’t exactly strong, but they would do for now.

“You’ve been in a coma, Obi-Wan,” she continued.  “It’s been about two weeks.”

 _Two weeks?_ Cold panic began to rush at him again.  Instinctively, Obi-Wan reached into the Force, and found it to be…clear and balanced.  “The Force is balanced,” he whispered.  “Anakin, he…he Turned back?”

The healer frowned at that and sat down again.  “It’s better if you speak to him about that,” she said finally.  “For now, I’d like to ease you back into eating solids.  You’ve been on the nutrient drip for a while now, and your body’s systems are still adjusting to operating as normal,” she explained.  “You’ve been through a serious trauma, Obi-Wan,” she said, and placed a warm hand on his arm.  “I know you must be plotting your escape already, but you must allow yourself the time to recover.”

Obi-Wan nodded slowly.  “Qui-Gon was…sent back to his time, wasn’t he?” he asked finally.  He swallowed, knowing exactly what that meant.  Qui-Gon was dead.  He thought he was dreaming, but Qui-Gon made a choice, and somehow that choice allowed Qui-Gon to sacrifice himself for Obi-Wan.

The healer nodded solemnly.

Obi-Wan sucked in a deep breath, ignoring the protest of his lungs, and reached out into the Force to achieve some semblance of calm again.  He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes again. 

“You should eat,” he heard her say.  “If you’re not too tired, I’ll get you some soup right now.”

He shook his head minutely.  “Later,” he mumbled, letting sleep claim him once again before she could say anything else.

* * *

Anakin stepped into Obi-Wan’s room at the Healer’s Ward quietly.  Obi-Wan was asleep, just as Master Che said.  Anakin wished he could have come to visit him earlier, when he was awake, but between the meetings with the Council, helping Padmé with the Senate and to restructure the Republic completely, and the _clones_ …Anakin didn’t have a lot of time left, but he still had so much to do.

He sighed.  This was all for the best, though.  He was sure.

Obi-Wan was pretty deeply asleep.  Master Che said she didn’t tell him much about what happened, but he wasn’t taking it well.  He wasn’t exactly getting _worse_ , per se, but he wasn’t improving as much as the healers had hoped. Losing Qui-Gon _again_ and so unexpectedly was a heavy blow for all of them, but he knew that it would be really hard on Obi-Wan, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

Anakin sat down in the chair next to Obi-Wan’s bed and tried to prepare himself for the conversation that was to come.  He took a deep breath and tried to think about how he would explain _everything_ to his former master, but he didn’t even know where to begin.  He didn’t even deserve this, any of it.

A sharp inhalation, and then Obi-Wan’s eyes were fluttering open.  His head turned slightly, and he blinked a few times before his eyes met Anakin’s.

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin said, moving forward so he was sitting on the edge of his seat.  “Obi-Wan, I—”

He cut himself off as no words came to his mind.  There were tears in his eyes though, that was for sure.  He rubbed at them, trying to wipe them away so he could just _focus_ and say what he needed to say.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan rasped.  He sounded _terrible_.  “Anakin, please, I can’t do this right now,” he continued.

Anakin’s heart sank slowly to his stomach.  No, _no_ , this was all wrong.  “Obi-Wan?” he whispered, voice stuttering slightly.

He watched as Obi-Wan took a deep breath before he spoke again.  “I need time, Anakin,” he said firmly.  “What you did was…From what I understand, you did the right thing in the end, but it was…Anakin, what you did was _wrong_ ,” he continued.  Obi-Wan looked up at him, eyes wide.  “And I need _time_ to process that you did this.  I need time to—”

“There isn’t time,” Anakin interrupted, standing up quickly.  He saw Obi-Wan flinch slightly, and Anakin took a slow breath, trying to calm his racing heart.  “There isn’t time,” he repeated, quieter and more slowly now.

Obi-Wan frowned.  “Did something happen?”

Anakin laughed bitterly.  “A _lot_ happened, Obi-Wan.  But before I go into that, I need you to know how sorry I am.  I don’t expect your forgiveness, Obi-Wan, and the fact that you’re saying you need time tells me that you won’t give it to me.  I don’t need it,” he rambled.  “But I’m _sorry_ , Master.  I should have come to you earlier, I should have told Qui-Gon, I should have done _something_ —”

“You were the Chosen One, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, shaking his head.  “You were my responsibility, ever since you arrived here, and I should have sensed Palpatine’s influence on you.  I was concerned about how much time you spent with him when you first arrived, but I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries.”

“Obi-Wan—”

Obi-Wan held up a hand, interrupting him.  “I should have tried to help you more with handling your emotions.  I failed you, Anakin, and—”

“Obi-Wan, _stop_.”  Anakin’s voice was loud and indignant.  “None of this was your fault, you hear me?”  He deflated.  “It was my decision to join Palpatine.  And because _I_ did that, you…you _died_ , Master, and I just stood there, as though it didn’t matter to me,” he exclaimed.

Obi-Wan let out a breathy laugh, and Anakin frowned.  What was funny about this? 

“I died,” Obi-Wan said finally, his voice heavy with some sort of sickening mirth, “I _died_ , and I’m still here.  The Force played some cruel joke on me, and now Qui-Gon has taken my place in the Force.”  He coughed harshly a few times into his sleeve.

“Obi-Wan, I—” What was he supposed to say to _that_?  Master Che did say that Obi-Wan’s mood was not good, but Anakin didn’t realize exactly how bad it was.  “I’m _sorry_ , Obi-Wan,” he repeated, voice cracking.

“I know.” Obi-Wan was serious again, and his eyes were watering, though Anakin was sure it was from the coughing.

They lapsed into a sort-of silence, interrupted every so often with a harsh cough.  Anakin winced.  “You don’t sound good,” he said finally.

“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan responded, and his voice allowed for no further argument.  “Is that all you wanted to tell me, Anakin?”

The realization that Obi-Wan didn’t even want to talk to him now was painful.  He’d known Obi-Wan for so long now, and he’d never seen him like this.  Even when Obi-Wan was annoyed at him, he never turned him away.  He was always _there_.  And now…

“I…” Anakin’s voice trailed off.  He was so tempted to say that there was nothing else and just _leave_.  It would be so easy.  “There’s one more thing,” he said finally.

Obi-Wan looked at him expectantly, and Anakin found his voice lost in his throat.

“There’s no easy way to say this, Master,” Anakin said after a few moments.  “I…I’ve decided to leave the Order.”

Obi-Wan stared at him, completely expressionless.  Anakin reached out into the Force, trying to understand if he was feeling _something_ and was just hiding it, but he was met with shields.

“Say something,” Anakin pleaded after a few moments.  There was something cold in his stomach, something almost _wrong_. 

When Obi-Wan didn’t say anything, Anakin kept talking.

“It’s just…I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Obi-Wan.  But after what happened, I realized that I’m not cut out for this.  And now that everything seems okay, I can go be with Padmé,” he rambled.  Obi-Wan still didn’t say anything, and he was still staring at him.

“And I was thinking I could open a droid or mechanics shop or something,” he said.  “I’m doing what will make me happy, Obi-Wan.  And I’m going to be with my wife.  I’ll still be here on Coruscant, so I’m not too far away from the Temple, if you…I mean, if you want to talk to me or something,” Anakin said then coughed awkwardly.

“And it’s just…Ahsoka, I can’t leave her without knowing that she’ll be okay.  And I need _you_ to be okay too, Master,” he continued.  “So, I wanted to know if you would train her.  Or at least consider it.  I know Qui-Gon asked you to train me, so it’s not fair for me to ask this of you.  I _know_.  You’ve said before that you wouldn’t take a second padawan until after the war, and, well the war _is_ over.  But I can’t take that choice away from you; it’s not fair to you.”

Anakin let out a long exhale.  It felt almost good to get everything off his chest, but Obi-Wan was still staring at him.  He’d very rarely seen Obi-Wan at a complete loss for words before, so to be the one actually causing it this time was definitely strange.

“Master?” he croaked.

“I don’t…” Obi-Wan blinked, and for a moment he looked extremely desperate.  “I don’t _know_.”

Anakin swallowed.  That wasn’t what he expected.  He expected Obi-Wan to say yes or to say no.  Not _this_.

“Okay,” he managed.  “Just think about it, then.  I’m supposed to be leaving in about two or three days, so we have some time to figure it out.”

* * *

Qui-Gon exhaled and opened his eyes.

“What?” he muttered.  He found himself in a different location than he expected.  “This is becoming too common of an occurrence,” he muttered, standing up slowly.  The last thing he remembered was being on Naboo, facing the Sith Zabrak.  They were entering the generator core, separated by red ray shields, his padawan waiting a few feet back.  Qui-Gon knew what he had to do.  He was _ready_ to join the Force.  But what was happening now?

_“Master Jinn.”_

Qui-Gon turned around to see a spirit of some sort.  He couldn’t exactly identify the species, though the figure did appear distinctly female.

 _“My name is Serenity.  I am one of the five Force Priestesses.  We don’t have much time to talk, so let me explain to you what is happening right now,”_ she said quickly, moving forward towards him.

He nodded.  “Explain,” he said.

 _“There is a way to preserve your consciousness in the Force after death.  Based on your actions during your life, and what you contributed to the Force itself, you are worthy of this knowledge.  If you consent, this knowledge will be passed to you now,”_ she said quickly.

Qui-Gon frowned.  Preserve his consciousness after death?  He’d never heard of anyone doing that before.  People would usually just…join the Force.  “What do you mean?” he asked.

 _“You will be able to appear as a voice or occasionally a spirit.  It is a means of guiding those who are still alive,”_ she explained with a smile.

Qui-Gon stared at her, completely nonplussed.  “Why me?” he asked finally.

 _“You know why, Master Jinn,”_ she answered.  _“Time runs short.  You must decide now.”_

Being able to appear as a voice or spirit meant…he could see Obi-Wan and Anakin, once Time progressed and the circle was complete.  He would have to wait until after Palpatine would be defeated, but eventually, he could reveal himself and help them.

The decision was made.  “Yes, I consent,” he said quickly.

Serenity nodded, and four other beings similar to her appeared next to her. 

 _“Let us begin, then,”_ she said.

* * *

“So, he asked you to take Ahsoka as your padawan?” Bant asked as she lowered herself into the chair next to his bed.  She looked relatively exhausted; from what he understood, Bant had been working almost non-stop on the clones’ inhibitor chip extraction surgeries.  The surgeries themselves were not that difficult in theory but given the number of clones and the fact that the Kaminoans refused to help, it was taking time.

Obi-Wan nodded.  Finding out that Anakin was leaving the Order was a shock to his system; he found himself unable to keep down any of his food.  When he tried to go back to sleep after, he found himself tossing and turning the whole night, and the Force was offering no help.

It didn’t matter anyways.  Qui-Gon was gone, Anakin would be leaving soon, and Ahsoka deserved much better than someone like him.

“Are you going to?” she pressed.

“No.”

“Why not?”

Obi-Wan groaned.  “I’d rather not talk about this, Bant,” he muttered.

“You can’t just avoid this topic, Obi-Wan.  Ahsoka needs a Master,” Bant said.  She sighed when he didn’t say anything in response to that.  “And you need someone, too.  Don’t tell me otherwise.  I know you’re upset about Master Qui-Gon and Anakin, but you can’t just wallow about in your misery like this.  You know that I’m worried about you, right?  We all are.”

“There are a lot of Masters and Knights who would be glad to take Ahsoka as their padawan; I’m sure Master Plo Koon would jump at the chance, if he hasn’t already,” Obi-Wan countered, then coughed harshly into his sleeve.

“That’s true,” she said, “but she wants you.”

“I can’t imagine why,” he rasped.

Bant sighed.  This conversation was going nowhere.  “This is not you.  If you’re going to be like this, Obi, then I’m going to leave now.  You can feel sorry for yourself on your own,” she decided, and pulled herself to her feet.

She left in a flurry of robes, her annoyance quickly dissipating into the Force.

Obi-Wan pulled his blankets over himself and closed his eyes.  He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep much now, but there really wasn’t much else he could do right now.

* * *

Qui-Gon opened his eyes and stood as the ray shield in front of him lowered.  He rushed forward to meet the Sith Lord’s blade, pushing forward towards the inside of the power generator.  He heard Obi-Wan’s footsteps behind him, felt him trying to reach for him through their bond, but Qui-Gon forced himself to ignore it.

As Qui-Gon moved more to the center of the power generator, he began to hear the ray shields close again.  He glanced back to see Obi-Wan standing behind the last shield, eyes wide and terrified.

 _I’m sorry, Obi-Wan_ , he thought, before focusing on the Sith Lord again.  The journey ahead of his padawan will be long and painful and difficult, but in the end…

Qui-Gon began to focus on what the Force Priestesses taught him about joining the Force.  He knew that since he didn’t have much time to learn the process from them, he would not be able to appear as a full ghost for some time, if at all.

The Sith Zabrak was moving faster and faster, and while gathering the Force about him, it was becoming increasingly difficult to focus on the battle.  He took a step back for a moment, assessing something, as the Sith paused for a moment too.

 _The time has come_ , he realized.

The Sith swung at him more ferociously, and Qui-Gon met each strike, feeling each one of them vibrate up his arms almost painfully.  The hilt of the Sith’s blade met his chin, and he stumbled back before feeling the lightsaber slam into his gut.

He cried out immediately, more in surprise and shock than in pain.  He barely heard Obi-Wan shout over the ringing in his ears, barely felt the Sith move his lightsaber out of his stomach.

Qui-Gon’s knees buckled, unable to hold his weight anymore.  He hunched forward, feeling the burning pain from his middle overwhelming his senses.  Qui-Gon collapsed sideways, gasping, trying to focus on the Force.  It was calling out to him now, and he wanted to respond to its call more than anything, but there was one more thing he had to do now.

He barely heard the ray shields open once again.  He could hear the sounds of lightsabers clashing somewhere behind him; he could feel Obi-Wan’s desperation in the Force, and he tried to reach out to him and steady him, but he found himself unable to focus on much at all right now.  He found himself nearly senseless from the pain.

The next thing he knew, his head was being lifted gently.  Qui-Gon opened his eyes with a groan, looking up into Obi-Wan’s distressed eyes.

“It’s—it’s too late,” Qui-Gon grunted.  The Force was calling to him even louder now, and it was becoming difficult to focus on what he had to say.

“No.” Obi-Wan was shaking his head, his denial screaming out into the Force.  

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon whispered, “promise—promise me you will train the boy.”  _Promise me you will make it through this.  Promise me that you will be alright_.

“Yes, Master,” Obi-Wan responded, almost instinctively, it seemed.

Qui-Gon reached up with a trembling hand and touched Obi-Wan’s face, trying to comfort him and wipe the tears from his face.  He was supposed to say something else, wasn’t he?  It was getting hard to remember now.

“He—is the Chosen One,” Qui-Gon said, remembering what Anakin would do in the future.  It did take him time, but in the end, Anakin was the one who brought balance to the Force.  “He—will bring balance,” he uttered.

Obi-Wan nodded, his eyes bright with tears.

“Train him,” Qui-Gon whispered, and he let out a final exhale, letting himself be swept up by the currents of the Force.

* * *

_Train him_.

Obi-Wan’s eyes opened and he groaned.  The chrono next to his bed told him that he slept for about an hour this time.  He was dreaming about Qui-Gon’s death again.  Knowing that Qui-Gon probably returned to Naboo and joined the Force there brought back the dredges of that particular memory.  A memory that he tried to stifle over the years since it happened.

He shuddered and wiped the sweat from his brow before sitting up carefully.  He reached for the glass of water sitting on the side table and took a long sip before putting it back on the table.

Obi-Wan exhaled and leaned his head back on the bedrest.  The Halls were relatively quiet around this hour, but he could feel some of the healers in the Force, making their rounds.  He hoped no one would come in and ask him why he wasn’t sleeping again.  Master Che was already worried as it was, and he really didn’t need her overwhelming worry right now.

_“What do you need, then?”_

Obi-Wan jerked, placing a hand on his chest as his heart skipped a beat at the sound of that voice.  But _no_.  It was impossible.

He turned his head slowly in the direction of the voice.

Qui-Gon Jinn stood there, at the foot of his bed, looking a lot bluer than the last time Obi-Wan saw him.  His Master was smiling at him widely, eyes bright and happy.

“I’m seeing things,” Obi-Wan whispered, and rubbed at his eyes.  “Or I’m not actually awake yet, and I’m still dreaming.”

 _“This is real, Obi-Wan,”_ his Master responded, but Obi-Wan was shaking his head.

“No, _no_ , this doesn’t happen,” Obi-Wan responded, and promptly pinched himself, to see if the pain would wake him up.  Nothing happened.  Qui-Gon remained, staring at him as though he was waiting for him.

Obi-Wan reached out into the Force; the confirmation was screaming out to him, along with Qui-Gon’s familiar presence.

“You’re—you’re _real_ ,” Obi-Wan realized.  Tears spilled from his eyes, and he shuddered, curling into himself as he wiped them furiously.  “Master, I—I don’t deserve this.  How are you here?”

He felt Qui-Gon move forward and kneel next to him.  _“I’m a ghost, Obi-Wan.  I can’t always be here, but when you need me, I will come.  I promise, Padawan,”_ Qui-Gon whispered, and though Obi-Wan couldn’t exactly feel him physically, the cooling sensation surrounding him told him that Qui-Gon was hugging him.

“Master,” Obi-Wan whispered, and he cried more, feeling every pent-up emotion release from him all at once.

 _“I’m here, Obi-Wan,”_ Qui-Gon murmured, stroking his hair.  _“I’m here.”_

* * *

“There’s still the matter of Padawan Tano,” Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

Mace sighed.  It was a delicate matter.  A lot of Masters and Knights would be happy to train her, himself included, but the Padawan did not want anyone except Master Kenobi.  And right now, it seemed that Obi-Wan was stubbornly refusing to do such a thing.

Mace had come to visit Obi-Wan a few times since he woke up, but Obi-Wan refused to even talk about the subject of Ahsoka as his padawan, and there wasn’t much Mace could do to beyond that to convince him.

Ahsoka spent a lot of time by herself now.  She spoke to the Council with Anakin after the…incident happened, and once after Anakin made it clear that he wanted to leave to say that she wanted Obi-Wan as her master and no one else.  In the days following that, she helped Asajj Ventress contact her home planet, Dathomir, and sent her home soon afterwards.  Ventress returned home about a week ago, maintaining the Dark Side as it should be.

But since then, Ahsoka was alone.  Waiting, almost.  She trained and took her classes and did everything she was supposed to as a Padawan, but she had no Master now.  It was now becoming a problem.

“I know,” Mace answered.

Everyone on the Council was physically present, except for Obi-Wan, who was still in the Healer’s Ward, and Shaak Ti, who was murdered by the clones on Kamino in the aftermath of Order 66.  So much has happened since then that the Council had not appointed her replacement yet, though it would probably happen in the coming days.

“If it comes down to it, I would be happy to train her,” Plo Koon said.  “I know she wants Master Kenobi, but ultimately, if he is not willing or is not able, then I would gladly train her.  I am sure you are all aware the we share a great connection already, so the transition for her will be easier on her.”

The rest of the Council nodded.  There was concern that Obi-Wan wouldn’t be able to become an active Jedi again, if he continued down the path he was going.  According to Master Che, his recovery was almost at a standstill because of his despondency about Qui-Gon and Anakin.  The thought of that was almost heartbreaking; Obi-Wan was an incredible Jedi and to see him like this now was extremely distressing for most of the Order.

“Is that it, then?” Adi Gallia asked.  She sounded distinctively upset.

“I suppose,” Mace answered, though there was a strange look in Yoda’s eyes that made him wonder…

The Council doors swung open suddenly.  He heard the voice of the padawan on duty outside the Council, saying that the Council was not to be disturbed right now, but the footsteps that followed implied that whoever it was ignored her pleas.

The person who entered was wrapped in a robe, but once he moved into the center of the circle, it became clear who it was.

“Obi-Wan?” Mace asked.

Obi-Wan smiled gently at him before addressing the Council.  “I apologize for the delay, Masters,” he said.  His face was pale, but there was a strength in him that Mace hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“I needed some time to think about the decision Anakin presented to me.  I was shocked to hear about his departure, but I now understand and support him for making that decision,” Obi-Wan continued.

“And I have decided to complete Ahsoka’s training, if the Council will allow it,” Obi-Wan finished.  He wavered for a brief moment, though it was subtle and if Mace wasn’t used to this kind of behavior from him, he probably wouldn’t have noticed it.

“Take a seat, Master Kenobi,” Mace said.  “From what I understand, you’re not supposed to be here yet.  The Healers haven’t released you.  You didn’t need to strain yourself like this,” he admonished.

Obi-Wan walked over to his chair and sat gratefully.  “I needed to, because Ahsoka does not deserve to be alone at this time,” he responded.  “I have also missed a lot in the past few weeks, and I would like to know where the Republic stands, among other things.”

Yoda nodded.  “Stay, you can, Obi-Wan,” he said.  “Though tell us, you must, if well you are not feeling.  Contact the Healers we will, so they know you are here.”

“Very well, Master Yoda,” Obi-Wan responded with a grateful smile.

* * *

“Anakin?”

He looked up from his datapad to see Padmé entering the apartment.  He stood and ran to her, wrapping his arms around her.

“I did it, Padmé,” he said, then kissed her.  “I officially left the Order earlier today.  The Council respected and understood my decision.”  Anakin smiled, feeling Padmé’s joy echo back at him in the Force.

“That’s amazing, Ani!” she said.  They walked over to the nearby couch and sat down.  “And what about Ahsoka?” she asked.

“Obi-Wan agreed to train her.  It took some convincing and a Force Ghost intervention, but he’s all for it now,” Anakin answered.  “But enough about me, Padmé.  How was the Senate today?”

His wife smiled.  “We’re taking steps in the right direction.  It’s going to be a slow process; Palpatine did a lot of damage and he had many allies in the Senate, but I think things will be alright eventually,” Padmé said.

She stood up then and smiled widely.  There was something else, he could feel it, but it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was.

“Padmé?” he asked.  “What is it?”

“Something wonderful has happened,” she said after a long pause.  Anakin raised his eyebrows in confusion, waiting for her to say more.

“Ani, I’m pregnant,” she whispered.

In a single instant, Anakin jumped up to his feet and embraced her.  “That’s wonderful, Padmé,” he said.  He reached out into the Force, towards her, and felt the two bright life forms growing within her.

“They’re twins, Padmé,” he said.  “This is incredible!”

“We’ll raise them together, Anakin,” she responded.  “They’ll be amazing.”

Anakin smiled, feeling completely pure joy for the first time in what felt like years.  Everything felt so right now, and he looked forward to what the future would bring him now.  The Force felt wonderful and beautiful all at once, as it was always meant to be.

* * *

“Ahsoka.”

She looked up from her work, surprised to see Obi-Wan standing in front of her desk.

“Master!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet in shock.  She didn’t have the chance to visit him since he woke up; between classes and helping Ventress, she was pretty busy for the past few weeks.  Once she heard that he did not want to complete her training, Ahsoka decided to stay away.  She didn’t know what else she could do.

Obi-Wan smiled wryly.  He looked a lot better than he did before.  She visited him a few times while he was in the coma and seeing him like that was _terrifying_.  She watched him go into cardiac arrest once, watched as the Healers desperately managed to revive him.  The implication of it, the fact that her grandmaster was _dead_ …it was scary.

“I must speak with you about something,” he said finally.

Was he going to tell her no, finally?  She wanted to sigh, but she nodded instead.  She mentally prepared herself for the rejection and thought of what she could do now.  She knew that other Masters would be willing to train her, but she didn’t want that.  She wanted Master Obi-Wan now.  No one else.

“Come with me,” he said, and what choice did she have but to follow?  She gathered her belongings quickly and followed him out of the Archives.

He led her to the Room of a Thousand Fountains and sat himself next to that waterfall he always sat under.  There was joy sparkling in his eyes, a sense of right-ness in the Force, and something else.  Something… _missing_.

She sat in front of him, waiting.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath.  “Ahsoka,” he said finally.  “I cannot possibly be a replacement for Anakin, but would you do me the honor of being my Padawan?”

Before he even finished the question, she was nodding, and tears were running down her face. 

“Yes, yes, of course!” she answered.  She wiped at her face, suddenly feeling embarrassed about her tears.  “I’m sorry; it’s been really stressful these past few weeks, and I’m just really relieved now.”

Obi-Wan nodded.  “I understand, Ahsoka,” he responded.

_“Did you do it yet, Obi-Wan?”_

Ahsoka turned around to see Master Qui-Gon standing behind her, though his form was blue and somewhat shimmering.

“Okay, I need an explanation for this,” she said finally, voice still wobbling.  She had fully resigned herself to never seeing Master Qui-Gon again, but there he was, looking somewhat ghostly, but _there_.

Obi-Wan laughed.  “I’ll explain it to you later, Ahsoka,” he said.  Then he looked up at Master Qui-Gon.  “I did it, Master,” he responded, then closed his eyes and opened them again.  It looked like he was about to cry too, though she couldn’t really tell.  “Thank you, Master,” he said, looking again at Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon gave them both another smile before he disappeared.

Ahsoka looked at her new Master and felt the right-ness in the Force.  Everything has finally settled down, and now she can focus on becoming the best Jedi she could be.  She wanted Anakin and Master Obi-Wan to be proud of her, and she knew she could do it.  She could feel the beginnings of their bond forming in her mind.  It would take time for both of them to adjust to this, and she knew that it would be a few weeks until Obi-Wan would be able to spar again, but everything was going in the right direction.  Ahsoka was sure of it.

“Let’s go, then,” he said, slowly pulling himself to his feet.

“Where?” she asked.

“Well, don’t you want to tell Anakin?  I told him we’d meet him for lunch.  He said he had some things to tell us as well,” Obi-Wan answered, then paused.  “Unless you’d rather stay here by yourself?”

Ahsoka barked out a laugh.  “You wish, Master,” she said, following him outside of the garden.

From the depths of the Force, Qui-Gon Jinn smiled.  Finally, everything was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to thank everyone who decided to click on this story and give it a chance. This is my first official multichapter story, and it really means a lot to get this kind of response. I appreciate each and every one of you so very much :)
> 
> I had a sort-of-major personal crisis towards the end of 2017, and for a while, this story helped me get through some difficult things. I won't go into detail about it, but for that reason, this story will always mean so much to me.
> 
> Anyways, what's next for me? I do want to go back and edit this story a bit more; I know it's still a bit raw in some places, and there's always room for improvement! I have a few ideas for some scenes that didn't quite make it into this story that I'll probably add as an addition to this series (so keep your eyes open for that). After that, I'll go back to writing oneshots for a while; as much as I enjoyed writing this, it's a commitment that I completely underestimated in the beginning.
> 
> Thank you again for reading and please let me know what you think! :)
> 
> July 2018 Update: The direct sequel to this story, Shifting Shadows, is now posted on this site! You can find it in my profile, or go to part 5 of the "Journey of the Lights" series. Thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> Right, thanks for reading! Feel free to check out my tumblr while waiting for the next chapter: [pandora15.tumblr.com](http://pandora15.tumblr.com)


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